Deformation versus Sphericity in the Ground States of the Lightest Gold Isotopes.

The changes in mean-squared charge radii of neutron-deficient gold nuclei have been determined using the in-source, resonance-ionization laser spectroscopy technique, at the ISOLDE facility (CERN). From these new data, nuclear deformations are inferred, revealing a competition between deformed and spherical configurations. The isotopes ^{180,181,182}Au are observed to possess well-deformed ground states and, when moving to lighter masses, a sudden transition to near-spherical shapes is seen in the extremely neutron-deficient nuclides, ^{176,177,179}Au. A case of shape coexistence and shape staggering is identified in ^{178}Au which has a ground and isomeric state with different deformations. These new data reveal a pattern in ground-state deformation unique to the gold isotopes, whereby, when moving from the heavy to light masses, a plateau of well-deformed isotopes exists around the neutron midshell, flanked by near-spherical shapes in the heavier and lighter isotopes-a trend hitherto unseen elsewhere in the nuclear chart. The experimental charge radii are compared to those from Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov calculations using the D1M Gogny interaction and configuration mixing between states of different deformation. The calculations are constrained by the known spins, parities, and magnetic moments of the ground states in gold nuclei and show a good agreement with the experimental results.

Laser Spectroscopy of Neutron-Rich

The mean-square charge radii of ^{207,208}Hg (Z=80, N=127, 128) have been studied for the first time and those of ^{202,203,206}Hg (N=122, 123, 126) remeasured by the application of in-source resonance-ionization laser spectroscopy at ISOLDE (CERN). The characteristic kink in the charge radii at the N=126 neutron shell closure has been revealed, providing the first information on its behavior below the Z=82 proton shell closure. A theoretical analysis has been performed within relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov and nonrelativistic Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov approaches, considering both the new mercury results and existing lead data. Contrary to previous interpretations, it is demonstrated that both the kink at N=126 and the odd-even staggering (OES) in its vicinity can be described predominately at the mean-field level and that pairing does not need to play a crucial role in their origin. A new OES mechanism is suggested, related to the staggering in the occupation of the different neutron orbitals in odd- and even-A nuclei, facilitated by particle-vibration coupling for odd-A nuclei.

Large Shape Staggering in Neutron-Deficient Bi Isotopes.

The changes in the mean-square charge radius (relative to ^{209}Bi), magnetic dipole, and electric quadrupole moments of ^{187,188,189,191}Bi were measured using the in-source resonance-ionization spectroscopy technique at ISOLDE (CERN). A large staggering in radii was found in ^{187,188,189}Bi^{g}, manifested by a sharp radius increase for the ground state of ^{188}Bi relative to the neighboring ^{187,189}Bi^{g}. A large isomer shift was also observed for ^{188}Bi^{m}. Both effects happen at the same neutron number, N=105, where the shape staggering and a similar isomer shift were observed in the mercury isotopes. Experimental results are reproduced by mean-field calculations where the ground or isomeric states were identified by the blocked quasiparticle configuration compatible with the observed spin, parity, and magnetic moment.

Emergence of Clusters: Halos, Efimov States, and Experimental Signals.

We investigate the emergence of halos and Efimov states in nuclei by use of a newly designed model that combines self-consistent mean-field and three-body descriptions. Recent interest in neutron heavy calcium isotopes makes ^{72}Ca (^{70}Ca+n+n) an ideal realistic candidate on the neutron dripline, and we use it as a representative example that illustrates our broadly applicable conclusions. By smooth variation of the interactions we simulate the crossover from well-bound systems to structures beyond the threshold of binding, and find that halo configurations emerge from the mean-field structure for three-body binding energy less than ∼100 keV. Strong evidence is provided that Efimov states cannot exist in nuclei. The structure that bears the most resemblance to an Efimov state is a giant halo extending beyond the neutron-core scattering length. We show that the observable large-distance decay properties of the wave function can differ substantially from the bulk part at short distances, and that this evolution can be traced with our combination of few- and many-body formalisms. This connection is vital for interpretation of measurements such as those where an initial state is populated in a reaction or by a beta decay.

[The role of remodeling complexes CHD1 and ISWI in spontaneous and UV-induced mutagenesis control in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae].

Chromatin remodulators are special multiprotein machines capable of transforming the structure, constitution, and positioning of nucleosomes on DNA. Biochemical activities of remodeling complexes CHD1 and ISWI from the SWI2/SNF2 family are well established. They ensure correct positioning of nucleosomes along the genome, which is probably critical for genome stability, in particular, after action of polymerases, repair enzymes, and transcription. In this paper, we show that single mutations in genes ISW1, ISW2, and CHD1 weakly affect repair and mutagenic processes in yeast cells. At the same time, there are differences in the effect of these mutations on spontaneous mutation levels, which indicates certain specificity of action of protein complexes ISW1, ISW2, and CHD1 on expression of different genes that control repair and mutation processes in yeast.

[Spontaneous mutation rate changes in saccharomyces cerevisiae at combinations of hsm3 and hsm6 mutations with rad52 mutation].

Long-term storage at +4 degrees C and cultivation at +30 degrees C changes the spontaneous mutation rate of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae double mutants rad52hsm3delta and rad52hsm6-1. Combinations of hsm3 and hsm6 mutations with the rad52 mutation lead to a decrease of the spontaneous mutation rate mediated by DNA repair synthesis in multiply replanted strains in comparison with the same strains investigated right after RAD52 gene decay. Combinations of hsm3 and hsm6 mutations with mutations in other genes of the RAD52 epistatic group did not provide a spontaneous mutation rate decrease.

Production study of Fr, Ra and Ac radioactive ion beams at ISOLDE, CERN.

The presented paper discusses the production of radioactive ion beams of francium, radium, and actinium from thick uranium carbide (UC x ) targets at ISOLDE, CERN. This study focuses on the release curves and extractable yields of francium, radium and actinium isotopes. The ion source temperature was varied in order to study the relative contributions of surface and laser ionization to the production of the actinium ion beams. The experimental results are presented in the form of release parameters. Representative extractable yields per µ C are presented for 222 - 231 Ac, several Ra and Fr isotopes in the mass ranges 214 ≤ A ≤ 233 and 205 ≤ A ≤ 231 respectively. The release efficiency for several isotopes of each of the studied elements was calculated by comparing their yields to the estimated in-target production rates modeled by CERN-FLUKA. The maximal extraction efficiency of actinium was calculated to be 2.1(6)% for a combination of surface ionization using a Ta ion source and resonant laser ionization using the two-step 438.58 nm, and 424.69 nm scheme.

[HSM6 gene is identical to PSY4 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts].

Previously, we isolated mutant yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae with an increased rate of spontaneous mutagenesis. Here, we studied the properties of HSM6 gene, the hsm6-1 mutation of which increased the frequency of UV-induced mutagenesis and decreased the level of UV-induced mitotic crossover at the centromere gene region, ADE2. HSM6 gene was mapped on the left arm of chromosome 11 in the region where the PSY4 gene is located. The epistatic analysis has shown that the hsm6-1 mutation represents an allele of PSY4 gene. Sequencing of hsm6-1 mutant allele has revealed a frameshift mutation, which caused the substitution of Lys218Glu and the generation of a stop codon in the next position. The interactions of hsm6-1 and rad52 mutations were epistatic. Our data show that the PSY4 gene plays a key role in the regulation of cell withdrawal from checkpoint induced by DNA disturbances.

[Interaction of the HSM3 gene with genes initiating homologous recombination repair in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae].

It was assumed previously that the mutator phenotype of the hms3 mutant was determined by processes taking place in the D-loop. As a next step, genetic analysis was performed to study the interactions between the hsm3 mutation and mutations of the genes that control the initial steps of the D-loop formation. The mutations of the MMS4 and XRS2 genes, which initiate the double-strand break formation and subsequent repair, were shown to completely block HSM3-dependent UV-induced mutagenesis. Mutations of the RAD51, RAD52, and RAD54 genes, which are also involved in the D-loop formation, only slightly decreased the level of UV-induced mutagenesis in the hsm3 mutant. Similar results were observed for the interaction of hsm3 with the mph1 mutation, which stabilizes the D-loop. In contrast, the shu1 mutation, which destabilizes the D-loop structure, led to an extremely high level of UV-induced mutagenesis and displayed epistatic interactions with the hsm3 mutation. The results made it possible to assume that the hsm3 mutation destabilizes the D-loop, which is a key substrate of both Rad5- and Rad52-dependent postreplicative repair pathways.

Model independence in two dimensions and polarized cold dipolar molecules.

We calculate the energy and wave functions of two particles confined to two spatial dimensions interacting via arbitrary anisotropic potentials with negative or zero net volume. The general rigorous analytic expressions are given in the weak coupling limit where universality or model independence are approached. The monopole part of anisotropic potentials is crucial in the universal limit. We illustrate the universality with a system of two arbitrarily polarized cold dipolar molecules in a bilayer. We discuss the transition to universality as a function of polarization and binding energy and compare analytic and numerical results obtained by the stochastic variational method. The universal limit is essentially reached for experimentally accessible strengths.

Early onset of ground state deformation in neutron deficient polonium isotopes.

In-source resonant ionization laser spectroscopy of the even-A polonium isotopes (192-210,216,218)Po has been performed using the 6p(3)7s (5)S(2) to 6p(3)7p (5)P(2) (λ=843.38 nm) transition in the polonium atom (Po-I) at the CERN ISOLDE facility. The comparison of the measured isotope shifts in (200-210)Po with a previous data set allows us to test for the first time recent large-scale atomic calculations that are essential to extract the changes in the mean-square charge radius of the atomic nucleus. When going to lighter masses, a surprisingly large and early departure from sphericity is observed, which is only partly reproduced by beyond mean field calculations.

[IXR1 and HMO1 genes jointly control the level of spontaneous mutagenesis in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae].

The yeast genes IXR1 and HMO1 encode proteins belonging to the family of chromatin nonhistone proteins, which are able to recognize and bind to irregular DNA structures. The full deletion of gene IXR1 leads to an increase in cell resistance to the lethal action of UV light, gamma-rays, and MMS, increases spontaneous mutagenesis and significantlly decreases the level of UV-induced mutations. It was earlier demonstrated in our works that the hmo 1 mutation renders cells sensitive to the lethal action of cisplatin and virtually does not affect the sensitivity to UV light. Characteristically, the rates of spontaneous and UV-induced mutagenesis in the mutant are increased. Epistatic analysis of the double mutation hmo 1 ixr1 demonstrated that the interaction of these genes in relation to the lethal effect of cisplatin and UV light, as well as UV-induced mutagenesis, is additive. This suggests that the products of genes HMO1 and IXR1 participate in different repair pathways. The ixr1 mutation significantly increases the rate of spontaneous mutagenesis mediated by replication errors, whereas mutation hmo 1 increases the rate of repair mutagenesis. In wild-type cells, the level of spontaneous mutagenesis was nearly one order of magnitude lower than that obtained in cells of the double mutant. Consequently, the combined activity of the Hmo 1 and the Ixr1 proteins provides efficient correction of both repair and replication errors.

Role of tetrahedrally coordinated dopants in palladium hydrides on their superconductivity and inverse isotope effect.

Absorption of hydrogen by palladium causes PdH to become superconducting below [Formula: see text]. Due to the presence of one octapore and two tetrapores per each Pd atom, it is believed that [Formula: see text] of PdH[Formula: see text] should increase further. Here, using ab initio calculation we show that (i) H placed in tetrapores of PdH[Formula: see text] induces a wide optical gap in the phonon density of states, which significantly reduces the electron-phonon coupling, and that (ii) the energetically preferable octapores filled by H enable the 9 K superconductivity only. This scenario may close a long-standing problem of the high-[Formula: see text] palladium hydrides. Moreover, simulating the pore population by H and D, within ab initio molecular dynamics, we are able to explain the inverse isotope effect in the framework of the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory.

The radioisotope complex project "RIC-80" at the Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute.

The high current cyclotron C-80 capable of producing 40-80 MeV proton beams with a current of up to 200 µA has been constructed at Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute. One of the main goals of the C-80 is the production of a wide spectrum of medical radionuclides for diagnostics and therapy. The project development of the radioisotope complex RIC-80 (radioisotopes at the cyclotron C-80) at the beam of C-80 has been completed. The RIC-80 complex is briefly discussed in this paper. The combination of the mass-separator with the target-ion source device, available at one of the new target stations for on-line or semi on-line production of a high purity separated radioisotopes, is explored in greater detail. The results of target and ion source tests for a mass-separator method for the production of high purity radioisotopes (82)Sr and (223,224)Ra are also presented.

Validity of the relativistic phase shift model for the extrinsic spin Hall effect in dilute metal alloys.

Recently, a generalized relativistic phase shift model was proposed (Fedorovet al 2013 Phys. Rev. B 88 085116) for the description of the skew-scattering contribution to the spin Hall effect caused by impurities. Here, we inspect this model by means of a systematic comparison with the results of first-principles calculations performed for several metallic host systems with different substitutional impurities. It is found that for its proper application, the differences between impurity and host phase shifts should be used as input parameters. Generally, the model provides good qualitative agreement with ab initio results for hosts with a free-electron-like Fermi surface and a relatively weak spin-orbit coupling, but fails otherwise.

Strongly interacting confined quantum systems in one dimension.

In one dimension, the study of magnetism dates back to the dawn of quantum mechanics when Bethe solved the famous Heisenberg model that describes quantum behaviour in magnetic systems. In the last decade, one-dimensional (1D) systems have become a forefront area of research driven by the realization of the Tonks-Girardeau gas using cold atomic gases. Here we prove that 1D fermionic and bosonic systems with strong short-range interactions are solvable in arbitrary confining geometries by introducing a new energy-functional technique and obtaining the full spectrum of energies and eigenstates. As a first application, we calculate spatial correlations and show how both ferro- and antiferromagnetic states are present already for small system sizes that are prepared and studied in current experiments. Our work demonstrates the enormous potential for quantum manipulation of magnetic correlations at the microscopic scale.

Measurement of the first ionization potential of astatine by laser ionization spectroscopy.

The radioactive element astatine exists only in trace amounts in nature. Its properties can therefore only be explored by study of the minute quantities of artificially produced isotopes or by performing theoretical calculations. One of the most important properties influencing the chemical behaviour is the energy required to remove one electron from the valence shell, referred to as the ionization potential. Here we use laser spectroscopy to probe the optical spectrum of astatine near the ionization threshold. The observed series of Rydberg states enabled the first determination of the ionization potential of the astatine atom, 9.31751(8) eV. New ab initio calculations are performed to support the experimental result. The measured value serves as a benchmark for quantum chemistry calculations of the properties of astatine as well as for the theoretical prediction of the ionization potential of superheavy element 117, the heaviest homologue of astatine.

First-principle calculations of the Berry curvature of Bloch states for charge and spin transport of electrons.

Recent progress in wave packet dynamics based on the insight of Berry pertaining to adiabatic evolution of quantum systems has led to the need for a new property of a Bloch state, the Berry curvature, to be calculated from first principles. We report here on the response to this challenge by the ab initio community during the past decade. First we give a tutorial introduction of the conceptual developments we mentioned above. Then we describe four methodologies which have been developed for first-principle calculations of the Berry curvature. Finally, to illustrate the significance of the new developments, we report some results of calculations of interesting physical properties such as the anomalous and spin Hall conductivity as well as the anomalous Nernst conductivity and discuss the influence of the Berry curvature on the de Haas-van Alphen oscillation.

Virial expansion coefficients in the harmonic approximation.

The virial expansion method is applied within a harmonic approximation to an interacting N-body system of identical fermions. We compute the canonical partition functions for two and three particles to get the two lowest orders in the expansion. The energy spectrum is carefully interpolated to reproduce ground-state properties at low temperature and the noninteracting high-temperature limit of constant virial coefficients. This resembles the smearing of shell effects in finite systems with increasing temperature. Numerical results are discussed for the second and third virial coefficients as functions of dimension, temperature, interaction, and transition temperature between low- and high-energy limits.