Deexcitation Modes in Spallation Nuclear Reactions

Spallation nuclear reactions in the range of 0.2 to 1.2 GeV are studied using the CRISP code. A new approach for the deexcitation stage of the compound nucleus was introduced. For the calculations of the level densities, this approach is based on the Back-shifted Fermi gas model (BSFG), which takes into account pairing effects and shell corrections, whereas the calculation of the fission barriers were performed by means of the Extended Thomas-Fermi plus Strutinsky Integral (ETFSI) method, which is a high-speed approximation to the Hartree-Fock method with pairing correlations treated as in the usual BCS plus blocking approach. This procedure is more appropriate to calculate level densities for exotic nuclei. Satisfactory results were obtained and compared with experimental data obtained in the GSI experiments. As another important result, we highlight some directions for the development of a qualitatively superior version of the CRISP code with the implementation of more realistic and suitable physical models to be applied in stable and exotic nuclei that participate in the process. This new version of the code includes several substantial changes in the decay of the hot compound nucleus which allow satisfactory agreement with the experimental data and a reduction of the adjustment parameters.     

Gamma radiation effects on molecular characteristic of vegetable tannins

The influence of gamma radiation on tannins extracted from Pinus caribaea bark and on tannin acid has been investigated in this study with the aim of searching for evidences of structural and/or conformational changes. To fulfill this purpose, the samples of tannins, such as tannic acid and P. caribaea tannin bark, were irradiated at different doses (from 5 to 35 kGy) using a cobalt-60 gamma irradiator. The changes were analyzed by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and by high resolution liquid chromatography. The results pointed out some structural and conformational changes under the effects of gamma radiation for doses higher than 5 kGy for P. caribaea tannin bark. However, no changes were detected on the irradiated tannic acid. The observed behavior suggests the loss of carbonyl groups. This could be associated to a decarboxylation process with the corresponding release of CO₂ from the molecule. Evidences of some conformational changes were also noted.     

Electronic spectra of one-dimensional nano-quasi-periodic systems under bias

We investigate the properties of the energy spectra of quantum one-dimensional nano-quasi-crystals in the presence of external electric fields. These systems are modelled by means of finite sequences, ordered according to a Fibonacci rule which constituted of two blocks A$A$ (constant potentials of different heights defined on finite intervals) and B$B$ (delta potentials of different intensities). We use the electric field ability of producing Stark ladders in periodic systems to obtain well separated energy levels and to study the evolution of these levels when disorder is introduced. We show that this effect also allows us to predict the approximate position of the levels in the disordered system, in spite of its chaotic appearance at first view. We show, against the usual belief, that the n$n$th Stark ladder in general is not formed exclusively from the levels of the n$n$th band. The disorder is introduced in two different ways: by changing the distribution of the blocks or by changing the values of the delta potential intensities. In both cases we start from electrified periodic structures which are gradually perturbed to obtain electrified quasi-periodic structures. We show that the use of Fibonacci sequences as a particular case is not crucial and one can use the electric field to analyze any other type of quasi-periodic systems.     

Spectroscopic studies of stratum corneum model membrane from Bothrops jararaca treated with cationic surfactant

This research employed FT-Raman and PAS-FTIR spectroscopic techniques to evaluate the interaction of cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CTAC), a cationic surfactant, on the stratum corneum (SC) of shed snake skins from Bothrops jararaca, used as model membranes. Surfactant aqueous solutions (50.0 and 0.78 gl(-1)) with neutral pH were applied on the samples with intervals of 4, 8 (whole SC) and 12h (SC tape-stripped). Samples presented modifications of the topography for all conditions of the assays and the monomers of the surfactant, instead of the micelles, seemed to interact with the keratin. The SC model membranes treated with CTAC have had an augment of water content (except for whole SC treated for 8h) indicated by the expansion of the band 3600-3300 cm(-1), mainly for the tape-stripped samples after 12h treatment. Concentration appeared to be an important factor related to an increase of the tissue hydration.     

Ferrocene-based ureas as multisignaling receptors for anions

The synthesis of structurally new types of ferrocene-based ureas, in which the ferrocene moiety is simultaneously attached to two urea groups, have been prepared directly from 1,1'-bis(isocyanato)ferrocene 1. Homoditopic receptors 2a-e show spectral and electrochemical anion-sensing action: they display a selective downfield shift of the urea protons and a cathodic shift of the ferrocene/ferrocinium redox couple with hydrogen phosphate and fluoride anions. In addition, receptor 2d based on an unprecedent tetraaza[9]ferrocenophane architecture, shows spectral, electrochemical, and selective fluorescent responses to fluoride anion.     

Density functional theory of fluids in nanopores: analysis of the fundamental measures theory in extreme dimensional-crossover situations

Two density functional theories, the fundamental measures theory of Rosenfeld [Phys. Rev. Lett. 63, 980 (1989)] and a subsequent approximation by Tarazona [Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 694 (2000)] are applied to the study of the hard-sphere fluid in two situations: the cylindrical pore and the spherical cavity. The results are compared with those obtained with grand canonical ensemble Monte Carlo simulations. The differences between both theories are evaluated and interpreted in the terms of the dimensional crossover from three to one and zero dimensions.     

On divisors of a quadratic form

An approximation is given for the number of divisors of the quadratic formn²+m²+t².Supported by University of the Basque Country.