The non-centrosymmetric borate oxides, MBi2B2O7 (M=Ca, Sr)

Two novel noncentrosymmetric borates oxides, MBi₂B₂O₇ or MBi₂O(BO₃)₂ (MCa, Sr), have been synthesized by solid-state reactions in air at temperatures in the 600-700 °C range. Their crystal structures have been determined ab initio and refined using powder neutron diffraction data. CaBi₂B₂O₇ crystallizes in the orthorhombic Pna2₁ space group with a=8.9371(5) Å, b=5.4771(3) Å, c=12.5912(7) Å, Z=4, R_wp=0.118, χ²=2.30. SrBi₂B₂O₇ crystallizes in the hexagonal P6₃ space group with a=9.1404(4) Å, c=13.0808(6) Å, Z=6, R_wp=0.115, χ²=4.15. Large displacement parameters suggest the presence of disorder in SrBi₂B₂O₇ as also revealed by diffuse 2×a superstructure reflections in electron diffraction patterns. Both structures are built of identical (001) neutral layers of corner-sharing BO₃ triangles and MO₆ trigonal prisms forming six-membered rings in which Bi₂O groups are located. Adjacent layers are stacked in a staggered configuration and connected through weak Bi-O bonds. A moderate efficiency for second harmonic generation (SHG) has been measured for a powder sample of CaBi₂B₂O₇ (d_eff=2d_eff(KDP)).     

Wormlike lipid/DNA micelles in a non-polar solvent

The phase behavior of DOPE/DOTAP-DNA complexes in phase-separated oil(dodecane)/water mixtures was explored using Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS) and Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS). Inverse micelles of DNA with cationic-lipid coating were found in the oil phase. Varying the ratio between cationic and neutral lipids a transition from wormlike to spherical structures is observed for both long ( ≈ 75000bp) and short (30-1246bp) DNA. In contrast to lipid/DNA complexes in the water phase, there is no indication of condensed liquid-crystalline structures in the non-polar phase. In fact, FCS measurements on short DNA oligomers complexed with cationic lipid in alkane give clear evidence for monomeric inverse micelles of DNA. Dilution series revealed a critical lower concentration of lipids and DNA for observing lipid/DNA micelles.     

Measurement of radionuclides and absorbed dose rates in soil samples of Peshawar,Pakistan, using gamma ray spectrometry

The analysis of gamma-emitting radionuclides in nature, i.e. ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs, has been carried out in soil samples collected from Peshawar University Campus and surrounding areas using a high purity germanium detector coupled with a computer-based high-resolution multichannel analyser. The activity concentrations in soil ranged from 30.20±0.65 to 61.90±0.95, 50.10±0.54 to 102.80±1.04, 373.60±4.56 to 1082±11.38 and 9.50±0.11 to 46.60±0.42 Bq kg^?1 for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs, with a mean value of 45±7.70, 67±12.50, 878±180 and 19±9.20 Bq kg^?1, respectively. The radium equivalent activity, internal and external hazard indices have mean values of 203.40±29.40 Bq kg^?1, 0.56 and 0.68, respectively. The mean values of outdoor and indoor absorbed dose rates in air and the annual effective dose equivalents were found to be 106.50 and 128 nGy h^?1 and 0.19 and 0.54 mSv y^?1, respectively. In the present study, ⁴⁰K was the major radionuclide present in soil samples. The presence of ¹³⁷Cs indicates that this area also received some fallout from the nuclear accident of the Chernobyl power plant in 1986. The activity concentrations of radionuclides found in soil samples during the current investigation were nominal. Therefore, they are not associated with any potential source of health hazard to the public.     

Influence ofΛ Hyperons 1S0 Superfluidity on the Direct Urca Processes with Hyperons

In the framework of the relativistic mean field theory (RMFT), the relativistic energy losses of the direct Urca processes withhyperons (Y-DURCA) for reactionsΛ→p + e +\bar{\nu}_{e} andΞ^- →Λ + e +ν_e arestudied in neutron stars. We calculate the energy gap ofΛ hyperons and investigate the effects of the ¹S₀superfluidity (SF) ofΛ hyperons on the Y-DURCA processes. The calculated results are in line with the recent experimental data\Delta B_ΛΛ∽1.01±0.20^+0.18_-0.11 MeV.The results indicate that the ¹S₀ SF ofΛ hyperons exists in most density ranges of happening the two reactions. The
theoretical cooling curves are in agreement with observation data.     

A reflection on the contrast between the Cooper pairing in iron-based and conventional superconductors

In this Perspective article we review retrospectively the streamline of our work on iron-based superconductors, and reflect on the mechanism of Cooper pairing in conventional and unconventional, such as iron-based superconductors. The main theme of this review is the concept of effective interaction and renormalization group.     

多组份流动质量分数保极值原理算法

对基于质量分数的Mie-Gruneisen状态方程多流体组份模型提出了新的数值方法.该模型保持混合流体的质量、动量、和能量守恒,保持各组份分质量守恒,在多流体组份界面处保持压力和速度一致.该模型是拟守恒型方程系统.对该模型系统的离散采用波传播算法.与直接对模型中所有守恒方程采用相同算法不同的是,在处理分介质质量守恒方程时,对波传播算法进行了修正,使之满足质量分数保极值原理.而不作修改的算法则不能保证质量分数在[0,1]范围.数值实验验证了该方法有效.     

有限域上一类方程的解数

研究有限域 上一类方程 , , 的解数. 在保持方程系数不变的前提下, 通过对其次数矩阵进行有效降次, 可以改进对原方程解数的各种估计. 若对方程未知变量和系数进行适当限定, 则可将其化为椭圆曲线方程, 从而利用Hasse定理得到原方程解数的一个精确界.     

A New Higher Order Shear Deformation Model for Static Behavior of Functionally Graded Plates

In this paper, a new displacement based high-order shear deformation theory is introduced for the static response of functionally graded plate. Unlike any other theory, the number of unknown functions involved is only four, as against five in case of other shear deformation theories. The theory presented is variationally consistent, has strong similarity with classical plate theory in many aspects, does not require shear correction factor, and gives rise to transverse shear stress variation such that the transverse shear stresses vary parabolically across the thickness satisfying shear stress free surface conditions. The mechanical properties of the plate are assumed to vary continuously in the thickness direction by a simple power-law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. Numerical illustrations concerned flexural behavior of FG plates with Metal-Ceramic composition. Parametric studies are performed for varying ceramic volume fraction, volume fraction profiles, aspect ratios and length to thickness ratios. The validity of the present theory is investigated by comparing some of the present results with those of the classical, the first-order and the other higher-order theories. It can be concluded that the proposed theory is accurate and simple in solving the static behavior of functionally graded plates.