Study of Quasielastic Barrier Distributions as a Step towards the Synthesis of Superheavy Elements with Hot Fusion Reactions.

The excitation functions for quasielastic scattering of ^{22}Ne+^{248}Cm, ^{26}Mg+^{248}Cm, and ^{48}Ca+^{238}U are measured using a gas-filled recoil ion separator. The quasielastic barrier distributions are extracted for these systems and are compared with coupled-channel calculations. The results indicate that the barrier distribution is affected dominantly by deformation of the actinide target nuclei, but also by vibrational or rotational excitations of the projectile nuclei, as well as neutron transfer processes before capture. From a comparison between the experimental barrier distributions and the evaporation residue cross sections for Sg (Z=106), Hs (108), Cn (112), and Lv (116), it is suggested that the hot fusion reactions take advantage of a compact collision, where the projectile approaches along the short axis of a prolately deformed nucleus. A new method is proposed to estimate the optimum incident energy to synthesize unknown superheavy nuclei using the barrier distribution.

Cloud Quantum Computing of an Atomic Nucleus.

We report a quantum simulation of the deuteron binding energy on quantum processors accessed via cloud servers. We use a Hamiltonian from pionless effective field theory at leading order. We design a low-depth version of the unitary coupled-cluster ansatz, use the variational quantum eigensolver algorithm, and compute the binding energy to within a few percent. Our work is the first step towards scalable nuclear structure computations on a quantum processor via the cloud, and it sheds light on how to map scientific computing applications onto nascent quantum devices.

Observation of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering.

The coherent elastic scattering of neutrinos off nuclei has eluded detection for four decades, even though its predicted cross section is by far the largest of all low-energy neutrino couplings. This mode of interaction offers new opportunities to study neutrino properties and leads to a miniaturization of detector size, with potential technological applications. We observed this process at a 6.7σ confidence level, using a low-background, 14.6-kilogram CsI[Na] scintillator exposed to the neutrino emissions from the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Characteristic signatures in energy and time, predicted by the standard model for this process, were observed in high signal-to-background conditions. Improved constraints on nonstandard neutrino interactions with quarks are derived from this initial data set.

Coupled-cluster computations of atomic nuclei.

In the past decade, coupled-cluster theory has seen a renaissance in nuclear physics, with computations of neutron-rich and medium-mass nuclei. The method is efficient for nuclei with product-state references, and it describes many aspects of weakly bound and unbound nuclei. This report reviews the technical and conceptual developments of this method in nuclear physics, and the results of coupled-cluster calculations for nucleonic matter, and for exotic isotopes of helium, oxygen, calcium, and some of their neighbors.

Dermatoglyphic asymmetries and fronto-striatal dysfunction in young adults reporting non-clinical psychosis.

OBJECTIVE: Growing evidence indicates that non-clinical psychotic-like experiences occur in otherwise healthy individuals, suggesting that psychosis may occur on a continuum. However, little is known about how the diathesis for formal psychosis maps on to individuals at the non-clinical side of this continuum. Our current understanding of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia implicates certain key factors such as early developmental abnormalities and fronto-striatal dysfunction. To date, no studies have examined these core factors in the context of non-clinical psychosis. METHOD: A total of 221 young adults were assessed for distressing attenuated positive symptoms (DAPS), dermatoglyphic asymmetries (a marker of early developmental insult), and procedural memory (a proxy for fronto-striatal function). RESULTS: Participants reporting DAPS (n = 16; 7.2%) and no-DAPS (n = 205; 92.7%) were split into two groups. The DAPS group showed significantly elevated depression, elevated dermatoglyphic asymmetries, and a pattern of procedural learning consistent with other studies with formally psychotic patients. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the non-clinical side of the psychosis continuum also shares key vulnerability factors implicated in schizophrenia, suggesting that both early developmental disruption and abnormalities in fronto-striatal function are core aspects underlying the disorder.

Origin of the anomalous long lifetime of ¹4C.

We report the microscopic origins of the anomalously suppressed beta decay of ¹4C to ¹4N using the ab initio no-core shell model with the Hamiltonian from the chiral effective field theory including three-nucleon force terms. The three-nucleon force induces unexpectedly large cancellations within the p shell between contributions to beta decay, which reduce the traditionally large contributions from the nucleon-nucleon interactions by an order of magnitude, leading to the long lifetime of ¹4C.

Pairing reentrance phenomenon in heated rotating nuclei in the shell-model Monte Carlo approach.

Rotational motion of heated 72Ge is studied within the microscopic shell-model Monte Carlo approach. We investigate the angular momentum alignment and nuclear pairing correlations associated with J^{π} Cooper pairs as a function of the rotational frequency and temperature. The reentrance of pairing correlations with temperature is predicted at high rotational frequencies. It manifests itself through the anomalous behavior of specific heat and level density.

Solution of the center-of-mass problem in nuclear structure calculations.

The coupled-cluster wave function factorizes to a very good approximation into a product of an intrinsic wave function and a Gaussian for the center-of-mass coordinate. The width of the Gaussian is in general not identical to the oscillator length of the underlying single-particle basis. The quality of the separation can be verified by a simple procedure.

Medium-mass nuclei from chiral nucleon-nucleon interactions.

We compute the binding energies, radii, and densities for selected medium-mass nuclei within coupled-cluster theory and employ a bare chiral nucleon-nucleon interaction at next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order. We find rather well-converged results in model spaces consisting of 15 oscillator shells, and the doubly magic nuclei 40Ca, 48Ca, and the exotic 48Ni are underbound by about 1 MeV per nucleon within the coupled-cluster singles-doubles approximation. The binding-energy difference between the mirror nuclei 48Ca and 48Ni is close to theoretical mass table evaluations. Our computation of the one-body density matrices and the corresponding natural orbitals and occupation numbers provides a first step to a microscopic foundation of the nuclear shell model.

Ab-initio coupled-cluster study of 16O.

We report converged results for the ground and excited states and matter density of 16O using realistic two-body nucleon-nucleon interactions and coupled-cluster methods and algorithms developed in quantum chemistry. Most of the binding is obtained with the coupled-cluster singles and doubles approach. Additional binding due to three-body clusters (triples) is minimal. The coupled-cluster method with singles and doubles provides a good description of the matter density, charge radius, charge form factor, and excited states of a one-particle, one-hole nature, but it cannot describe the first-excited 0(+) state. Incorporation of triples has no effect on the latter finding.

Quadrupole deformation of the self-conjugate nucleus 72Kr.

We report on the first determination of the absolute B(E2;0+(1)-->2+(1)) excitation strength in the N=Z nucleus 72Kr. 72Kr is the heaviest N=Z nucleus for which this quantity has been measured and provides a benchmark in a region of the nuclear chart dominated by rapidly changing deformations and shapes mediated by the interplay of strongly oblate and prolate-driving orbitals. The deduced quadrupole deformation strength is in agreement with a variety of self-consistent models that predict an oblate shape for the ground state of 72Kr. Large-scale shell-model Monte Carlo calculations reproduce the experimental B(E2) value and link the result to the occupation of the deformation-driving g9/2 orbit.

Coupled cluster calculations of ground and excited states of nuclei.

The standard and renormalized coupled cluster methods with singles, doubles, and noniterative triples and their generalizations to excited states, based on the equation of motion coupled cluster approach, are applied to the 4He and 16O nuclei. A comparison of coupled cluster results with the results of the exact diagonalization of the Hamiltonian in the same model space shows that the quantum chemistry inspired coupled cluster approximations provide an excellent description of ground and excited states of nuclei. The bulk of the correlation effects is obtained at the coupled cluster singles and doubles level. Triples, treated noniteratively, provide the virtually exact description.

Consequences of nuclear electron capture in core collapse supernovae.

The most important weak nuclear interaction to the dynamics of stellar core collapse is electron capture, primarily on nuclei with masses larger than 60. In prior simulations of core collapse, electron capture on these nuclei has been treated in a highly parametrized fashion, if not ignored. With realistic treatment of electron capture on heavy nuclei come significant changes in the hydrodynamics of core collapse and bounce. We discuss these as well as the ramifications for the postbounce evolution in core collapse supernovae.

Electron capture rates on nuclei and implications for stellar core collapse.

Supernova simulations to date have assumed that during core collapse electron captures occur dominantly on free protons, while captures on heavy nuclei are Pauli blocked and are ignored. We have calculated rates for electron capture on nuclei with mass numbers A=65-112 for the temperatures and densities appropriate for core collapse. We find that these rates are large enough so that, in contrast to previous assumptions, electron capture on nuclei dominates over capture on free protons. This leads to significant changes in core collapse simulations.

Regulation of fatty acid oxidation and glucose metabolism in rat soleus muscle: effects of AICAR.

Previous studies have shown that 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR), a cell-permeable activator of AMP-activated protein kinase, increases the rate of fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle of fed rats. The present study investigated the mechanism by which this occurs and, in particular, whether changes in the activity of malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD) and the beta-isoform of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC beta) are involved. In addition, the relationship between changes in fatty acid oxidation induced by AICAR and its effects on glucose uptake and metabolism was examined. In incubated soleus muscles isolated from fed rats, AICAR (2 mM) increased fatty acid oxidation (90%) and decreased ACC beta activity (40%) and malonyl-CoA concentration (50%); however, MCD activity was not significantly altered. In soleus muscles from overnight-fasted rats, AICAR decreased ACC beta activity (40%), as it did in fed rats; however, it had no effect on the already high rate of fatty acid oxidation or the low malonyl-CoA concentration. In keeping with its effect on fatty acid oxidation, AICAR decreased glucose oxidation by 44% in fed rats but did not decrease glucose oxidation in fasted rats. It had no effect on glucose oxidation when fatty acid oxidation was inhibited by 2-bromopalmitate. Surprisingly, AICAR did not significantly increase glucose uptake or assayable AMP-activated protein kinase activity in incubated soleus muscles from fed or fasted rats. These results indicate that, in incubated rat soleus muscle, 1) AICAR does not activate MCD or stimulate glucose uptake as it does in extensor digitorum longus and epitrochlearis muscles, 2) the ability of AICAR to increase fatty acid oxidation and diminish glucose oxidation and malonyl-CoA concentration is dependent on the nutritional status of the rat, and 3) the ability of AICAR to diminish assayable ACC activity is independent of nutritional state.

Inhibition of insulin signaling and glycogen synthesis by phorbol dibutyrate in rat skeletal muscle.

Numerous studies have shown a correlation between changes in protein kinase C (PKC) distribution and/or activity and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. To investigate which PKC isoforms might be involved and how they affect insulin action and signaling, studies were carried out in rat soleus muscle incubated with phorbol esters. Muscles preincubated for 1 h with 1 microM phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) showed an impaired ability of insulin to stimulate glucose incorporation into glycogen and a translocation of PKC-alpha, -betaI, -theta, and -epsilon, and probably -betaII, from the cytosol to membranes. Preincubation with 1 microM PDBu decreased activation of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase by insulin and to an even greater extent the phosphorylation of Akt/protein kinase B and glycogen synthase kinase-3. However, it failed to diminish the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase by insulin. Despite these changes in signaling, the stimulation by insulin of glucose transport (2-deoxyglucose uptake) and glucose incorporation into lipid and oxidation to CO2 was unaffected. The results indicate that preincubation of skeletal muscle with phorbol ester leads to a translocation of multiple conventional and novel PKC isoforms and to an impairment of several, but not all, events in the insulin-signaling cascade. They also demonstrate that these changes are associated with an inhibition of insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis but that, at the concentration of PDBu used here, glucose transport, its incorporation into lipid, and its oxidation to CO2 are unaffected.

Calorie restriction increases insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate-1 in rat skeletal muscle.

A moderate reduction in calorie intake (calorie restriction, CR) improves insulin-stimulated glucose transport in skeletal muscle. Therefore, we studied muscle insulin signalling in ad libitum (AL) and CR ( approximately 60% AL intake for 20 days) fed rats, which received a control injection (sterile water) or an insulin injection (30 U kg-1 body weight). In control (not insulin-treated) rats, there was no detectable tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor (IR), regardless of diet; no diet effect on tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS1) or IRS1-associated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) protein and 21% higher IRS1-associated PI3K activity in AL vs. CR. In insulin-treated rats, tyrosine-phosphorylated IR was 79% higher for CR vs. AL; tyrosine-phosphorylated IRS1 was 109% higher for CR vs. AL; IRS1-associated PI3K protein and IRS1-associated PI3K activity were unaffected by diet. Calorie restriction amplifies early insulin signalling steps without changing IRS1-associated PI3K, suggesting enhanced glucose transport is mediated by altering: IRS1-PI3K localization, PI3K associated with proteins other than IRS1 or post-PI3K events.

Effect of calorie restriction on in vivo glucose metabolism by individual tissues in rats.

We evaluated the effects of 8 mo of calorie restriction [CR: 60% of ad libitum (AL) food intake] on glucose uptake by 14 tissues in unanesthetized, adult (12 mo) F344xBN rats. Glucose metabolism was assessed by the 2-[3H]deoxyglucose tracer technique at 1500 or 2100. Despite an approximately 60% decline in insulinemia with CR, plasma 2-[3H]deoxyglucose clearance for CR was greater than for AL at both times. A small, CR-related decrease in glucose metabolic index (R'g) occurred only at 1500 in the spleen and heart, and this decrease was reversed at 2100. In some tissues (cerebellum, lung, kidney, soleus, and diaphragm), R'g was unaffected by diet, regardless of time. In the other tissues (brown fat, 3 white fat pads, epitrochlearis, plantaris, and gastrocnemius), R'g was higher or tended to be higher for CR vs. AL at one or both times. These findings indicate that 8 mo of CR did not cause a continuous reduction in in vivo glucose uptake by any tissue studied, and, in several insulin-sensitive tissues, glucose uptake was at times greater for CR vs. AL rats.

Effect of extracellular palmitate on 2-deoxy-d-glucose uptake in muscle from Ad libitum fed and calorie restricted rats.

We studied the effect of a high physiologic concentration of palmitate (1mM) on in vitro 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) uptake by flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscle from ad libitum fed rats (AL) and rats fed 60% of ad libitum intake (CR) for 20 days. CR did not alter muscle 2DG uptake in the absence of insulin, but relative to AL, CR significantly (p<0.01) increased 2DG uptake in the presence of 20,000 microU/ml insulin. This effect of CR persisted in the presence of 1mM palmitate. The presence of 1mM palmitate significantly (p<0.01) impaired 2DG glucose uptake, both in the presence and absence of insulin, to the same extent in AL and CR muscle, despite an 18% decrease in FABPpm expression with CR. Thus, although CR profoundly affects insulin-mediated muscle glucose uptake, it does not alter the ability of extracellular fatty acid to modulate glucose utilization by skeletal muscle.