The theory of nuclear matter

This article is an account of the present position of theories of nuclear matter initiated some years ago mainly by Jastrow and Brueckner. Section 1 introduces the basic ideas. Section 2 discusses the variational approach. Section 3 develops methods involving partial summations in perturbation theory. The difficulties confronting the latter approach, and their partial resolution by ideas from superconductivity theory, are analysed in § 4.

Much of the formalism is relevant also in the theory of individual nuclei (see for example the review by Eden 1959) and in fields other than nuclear physics (see for example The Many Body Problem, Les Houches, 1958). However, in the selection of material our criterion has been relevance for the ground state of nuclear matter.     

Extended Centres of Finitely Generated Prime Algebras

Let K be a field and let A be a finitely generated prime K-algebra. We generalize a result of Smith and Zhang, showing that if A is not PI and does not have a locally nilpotent ideal, then the extended centre of A has transcendence degree at most GKdim(A) ?2 over K. As a consequence, we are able to show that if A is a prime K-algebra of quadratic growth, then either the extended centre is algebraic over K or A is PI. Finally, we give an example of a finitely generated non-PI prime K-algebra of GK dimension 2 with a locally nilpotent ideal such that the extended centre has infinite transcendence degree over K.     

Comparison of the discriminating power of Raman and surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy with established techniques for the examination of liquid and gel inks

The ability to discriminate between inks is important for forensic document analysis. Here, Raman spectroscopy (RS) and surface‐enhanced RS have been compared to the traditional document examination techniques of video spectral comparison and thin layer chromatography on a population of blue and black‐coloured liquid and gel inks. It was found that in most cases, the Raman techniques provided a similar or better discriminating power than the conventional methods. Importantly, this study allowed us to determine whether the same underlying changes in composition were being exploited by the different methods to discriminate between samples. It was found that there was indeed a high degree of commonality in the sample pairs being discriminated by the various techniques. This work can therefore underpin introduction of Raman methods into standard operating procedures for ink analysis since it not only measures the extent of discrimination between samples but can also explain the origin of the spectral changes that are used to distinguish between them. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Crown copyright     

Cold Reactive Collisions between laser-cooled ions and velocity-selected neutral molecules

We report a new experimental method to study reactive ion-molecule collisions at very low temperatures. A source of laser-cooled ions in a linear Paul trap has been combined with a quadrupole-guide velocity selector to investigate the reaction of Ca+ with CH3F at collision energies E[over](coll)/k(B)> or =1 K with single-particle sensitivity. The technique represents a general approach to study reactive collisions between ions and polar molecules over a wide temperature range down to the cold regime.     

Short-scale turbulent fluctuations driven by the electron-temperature gradient in the national spherical torus experiment

Measurements with coherent scattering of electromagnetic waves in plasmas of the National Spherical Torus Experiment indicate the existence of turbulent fluctuations in the range of wave numbers k perpendicular rho(e)=0.1-0.4, corresponding to a turbulence scale length nearly equal to the collisionless skin depth. Experimental observations and agreement with numerical results from a linear gyrokinetic stability code support the conjecture that the observed turbulence is driven by the electron-temperature gradient.     

Catalytically Active Hollow Fiber Membranes with Enzyme-Embedded Metal–Organic Framework Coating

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are suitable enzyme immobilization matrices. Reported here is the in situ biomineralization of glucose oxidase (GOD) into MOF crystals (ZIF-8) by interfacial crystallization. This method is effective for the selective coating of porous polyethersulfone microfiltration hollow fibers on the shell side in a straightforward one-step process. MOF layers with a thickness of 8 μm were synthesized, and fluorescence microscopy and a colorimetric protein assay revealed the successful inclusion of GOD into the ZIF-8 layer with an enzyme concentration of 29±3 μg cm⁻². Enzymatic activity tests revealed that 50 % of the enzyme activity is preserved. Continuous enzymatic reactions, by the permeation of β-d -glucose through the GOD@ZIF-8 membranes, showed a 50 % increased activity compared to batch experiments, emphasizing the importance of the convective transport of educts and products to and from the enzymatic active centers.