A new method of alpha ray measurement using a Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer

We propose a new method of alpha($\alpha$)-ray measurement that detects helium atoms with a Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer(QMS). A demonstration is undertaken with a plastic-covered $^{241}$Am $\alpha$-emitting source to detect $\alpha$-rays stopped in the capsule. We successfully detect helium atoms that diffuse out of the capsule by accumulating them for one to 20 hours in a closed chamber. The detected amount is found to be proportional to the accumulation time. Our method is applicable to probe $\alpha$-emitting radioactivity in bulk material.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Re‐examining content‐enriched access : its effect on usage and discovery

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Structure of 11Li in the cluster-orbital shell model for the 9Li+n +n system

The properties of 11Li are studied in detail in the cluster-orbital shell model assuming the structure of 9Li+n+n. The interactions acting between the constituent particles are carefully determined consistently with available data. Large and flexible bases for the valence neutrons are represented as a superposition of gaussian functions. The anomalously large radius of 11Li is nicely reproduced. The density distributions calculated clarify the picture of the neutron halo. The binding energy is, however, calculated to be 1-1.4 MeV short. A possible resolution of this point is discussed from the viewpoint of the di-neutron clustering. The quadrupole moment of 11Li is predicted to be almost the same as that of 9Li.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/28629/1/0000443.pd

Microscopic multicluster description of neutron-halo nuclei with a stochastic variational method

To test a multicluster approach for halo nuclei, we give a unified description for the ground states of $^6$He and $^8$He in a model comprising an $\alpha$ cluster and single-neutron clusters. The intercluster wave function is taken a superposition of terms belonging to different arrangements, each defined by a set of Jacobi coordinates. Each term is then a superposition of products of gaussian functions of the individual Jacobi coordinates with different widths, projected to angular momenta $l=0$ or 1. To avoid excessively large dimensions and ``overcompleteness", stochastic methods were tested for selecting the gaussians spanning the basis. For $^6$He, we were able to calculate ground-state energies that are virtully exact within the subspace defined by the arrangements and $l$ values, and we found that preselected random sets of bases (with or without simulated annealing) yield excellent numerical convergence to this ``exact" value with thoroughly truncated bases. For $^8$He good energy convergence was achieved in a state space comprising three arrangements with all $l=0$, and there are indications showing that the contributions of other subspaces are likely to be small. The $^6$He and $^8$He energies are reproduced by the same effective force very well, and the matter radii obtained are similar to those of other sophisticated calculations.Comment: Latex , 8 figures available on request, ATOMKI-4-1993-

Compatibility of localized wave packets and unrestricted single particle dynamics for cluster formation in nuclear collisions

Antisymmetrized molecular dynamics with quantum branching is generalized so as to allow finite time duration of the unrestricted coherent mean field propagation which is followed by the decoherence into wave packets. In this new model, the wave packet shrinking by the mean field propagation is respected as well as the diffusion, so that it predicts a one-body dynamics similar to that in mean field models. The shrinking effect is expected to change the diffusion property of nucleons in nuclear matter and the global one-body dynamics. The central \xenon+\tin collisions at 50 MeV/nucleon are calculated by the models with and without shrinking, and it is shown that the inclusion of the wave packet shrinking has a large effect on the multifragmentation in a big expanding system with a moderate expansion velocity.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure

OAZ-t/OAZ3 Is Essential for Rigid Connection of Sperm Tails to Heads in Mouse

Polyamines are known to play important roles in the proliferation and differentiation of many types of cells. Although considerable amounts of polyamines are synthesized and stored in the testes, their roles remain unknown. Ornithine decarboxylase antizymes (OAZs) control the intracellular concentration of polyamines in a feedback manner. OAZ1 and OAZ2 are expressed ubiquitously, whereas OAZ-t/OAZ3 is expressed specifically in germline cells during spermiogenesis. OAZ-t reportedly binds to ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and inactivates ODC activity. In a prior study, polyamines were capable of inducing a frameshift at the frameshift sequence of OAZ-t mRNA, resulting in the translation of OAZ-t. To investigate the physiological role of OAZ-t, we generated OAZ-t–disrupted mutant mice. Homozygous OAZ-t mutant males were infertile, although the polyamine concentrations of epididymides and testes were normal in these mice, and females were fertile. Sperm were successfully recovered from the epididymides of the mutant mice, but the heads and tails of the sperm cells were easily separated in culture medium during incubation. Results indicated that OAZ-t is essential for the formation of a rigid junction between the head and tail during spermatogenesis. The detached tails and heads were alive, and most of the headless tails showed straight forward movement. Although the tailless sperm failed to acrosome-react, the heads were capable of fertilizing eggs via intracytoplasmic sperm injection. OAZ-t likely plays a key role in haploid germ cell differentiation via the local concentration of polyamines

Correlations in a Many-Body Calculation of 11^{\bf 11}Li

A many-body calculation of $^{11}$Li is presented where the only input is the well-tested, finite-range {\it D1S} effective interaction of {\it Gogny}. Pairing correlations are included in a constrained Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov calculation, while long-range collective correlations are introduced using a GCM derived calculation. Correlations are found to play an important role in describing $^{11}$Li. A substantive underlying $^9$Li core of $^{11}$Li is found, which has a different density profile than a free $^9$Li nucleus. This may have significant implications in the use of a three-body framework in studies of $^{11}$Li.Comment: 23 pages typeset in revtex 2.0 with 8 postscript figures in accompanying uuencoded fil

Pharmacological preconditioning in type 2 diabetic rat hearts: the roles of mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channels and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt pathway.

PURPOSE: The authors examined whether olprinone, a phosphodiesterase type 3 inhibitor, or isoflurane, a volatile anesthetic, could protect the heart against myocardial infarction in type 2 diabetic rats and whether the underlying mechanisms involve protein kinase C (PKC), mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium (m-K(ATP)) channels, or the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathway. METHODS: All rats underwent 30 min of coronary artery occlusion followed by 2 h of reperfusion. Wistar rats received isoflurane or olprinone before ischemia with or without the PKC inhibitor chelerythrine (CHE), the m-K(ATP) channel blocker 5-hydroxydecanoic acid (5HD), or the PI3K-Akt inhibitor LY294002 (LY). Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats were randomly assigned to receive isoflurane or olprinone. In another group, GK rats received LY before the olprinone. RESULTS: In the Wistar rats, both isoflurane (38 +/- 11%) and olprinone (40 +/- 11%) reduced infarct size as compared to the control group (59 +/- 8%). In the GK rats, olprinone (41 +/- 9%) but not isoflurane (53 +/- 11%) reduced infarct size as compared to the GK control group (58 +/- 14%). The beneficial effects of olprinone were blocked by LY (58 +/- 14%). In the Wistar rats, CHE, 5HD, and LY prevented isoflurane-induced reductions of infarct size. On the other hand, LY but not CHE or 5HD prevented olprinone-induced reductions of infarct size. CONCLUSIONS: Olprinone but not isoflurane protects the heart against myocardial infarction in type 2 diabetic rats. The olprinone-induced cardioprotective effect is mediated by the PI3K-Akt pathway but not PKC or m-K(ATP) channels

Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases and Compartmentation in Normal and Diseased Heart

International audienceCyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) degrade the second messengers cAMP and cGMP, thereby regulating multiple aspects of cardiac function. This highly diverse class of enzymes encoded by 21 genes encompasses 11 families which are not only responsible for the termination of cyclic nucleotide signalling, but are also involved in the generation of dynamic microdomains of cAMP and cGMP controlling specific cell functions in response to various neurohormonal stimuli. In myocardium, the PDE3 and PDE4 families are predominant to degrade cAMP and thereby regulate cardiac excitation-contraction coupling. PDE3 inhibitors are positive inotropes and vasodilators in human, but their use is limited to acute heart failure and intermittent claudication. PDE5 is particularly important to degrade cGMP in vascular smooth muscle, and PDE5 inhibitors are used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension. However, these drugs do not seem efficient in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. There is experimental evidence that these PDEs as well as other PDE families including PDE1, PDE2 and PDE9 may play important roles in cardiac diseases such as hypertrophy and heart failure. After a brief presentation of the cyclic nucleotide pathways in cardiac cells and the major characteristics of the PDE superfamily, this chapter will present their role in cyclic nucleotide compartmentation and the current use of PDE inhibitors in cardiac diseases together with the recent research progresses that could lead to a better exploitation of the therapeutic potential of these enzymes in the future