From finite nuclei to the nuclear liquid drop: leptodermous expansion based on the self-consistent mean-field theory

The parameters of the nuclear liquid drop model, such as the volume, surface, symmetry, and curvature constants, as well as bulk radii, are extracted from the non-relativistic and relativistic energy density functionals used in microscopic calculations for finite nuclei. The microscopic liquid drop energy, obtained self-consistently for a large sample of finite, spherical nuclei, has been expanded in terms of powers of A^{-1/3} (or inverse nuclear radius) and the isospin excess (or neutron-to-proton asymmetry). In order to perform a reliable extrapolation in the inverse radius, the calculations have been carried out for nuclei with huge numbers of nucleons, of the order of 10^6. The Coulomb interaction has been ignored to be able to approach nuclei of arbitrary sizes and to avoid radial instabilities characteristic of systems with very large atomic numbers. The main contribution to the fluctuating part of the binding energy has been removed using the Green's function method to calculate the shell correction. The limitations of applying the leptodermous expansion to actual nuclei are discussed. While the leading terms in the macroscopic energy expansion can be extracted very precisely, the higher-order, isospin-dependent terms are prone to large uncertainties due to finite-size effects.Comment: 13 pages revtex4, 7 eps figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

A generalized linear Hubble law for an inhomogeneous barotropic Universe

In this work, I present a generalized linear Hubble law for a barotropic spherically symmetric inhomogeneous spacetime, which is in principle compatible with the acceleration of the cosmic expansion obtained as a result of high redshift Supernovae data. The new Hubble function, defined by this law, has two additional terms besides an expansion one, similar to the usual volume expansion one of the FLRW models, but now due to an angular expansion. The first additional term is dipolar and is a consequence of the existence of a kinematic acceleration of the observer, generated by a negative gradient of pressure or of mass-energy density. The second one is quadrupolar and due to the shear. Both additional terms are anisotropic for off-centre observers, because of to their dependence on a telescopic angle of observation. This generalized linear Hubble law could explain, in a cosmological setting, the observed large scale flow of matter, without to have recourse to peculiar velocity-type newtonian models. It is pointed out also, that the matter dipole direction should coincide with the CBR dipole one.Comment: 9 pages, LaTeX, to be published in Class. Quantum Gra

Composite Indices as International Approaches to Elderly Population Well-being Evaluation: Evidence from Russia

Population ageing is a natural process with irreversible consequences. Therefore, it has become an important agenda for economic and social policy. It requires the development and practical implementation of new tools for the integrated assessment of the main aspects of the elderly generation economic and social well-being. We account for over 50 years of active academic research work in the area of ​​enhanced elderly population’s well-being assessment as a complex socio-economic phenomenon. The phenomenon may comprise a number of components for evaluation on the basis of both quantitative objective criteria and qualitative subjective criteria. The paper addresses the question of using composite indices such as the AgeWatch Index and the Active Ageing Index for assessing the well-being of the elderly generation in the Russian Federation. The authors also debate the issue of the availability and comparability of the existing data for the Active Ageing Index calculation for Russia. The scope of the analysis falls within national Russian statistical databases in order to determine the possibility of the correct choice of relevant indicators from the sources available for the AAI calculation according to its original methodology

Arithmetic Spacetime Geometry from String Theory

An arithmetic framework to string compactification is described. The approach is exemplified by formulating a strategy that allows to construct geometric compactifications from exactly solvable theories at $c=3$. It is shown that the conformal field theoretic characters can be derived from the geometry of spacetime, and that the geometry is uniquely determined by the two-dimensional field theory on the world sheet. The modular forms that appear in these constructions admit complex multiplication, and allow an interpretation as generalized McKay-Thompson series associated to the Mathieu and Conway groups. This leads to a string motivated notion of arithmetic moonshine.Comment: 36 page

Efavirenz Intoxication Due to Slow Hepatic Metabolism

We describe a human immunodeficiency virus-positive woman who presented with severe psychosis while she was receiving therapy with efavirenz. Her plasma efavirenz level was excessively high. Genetic investigation showed that she was homozygous for the CYP2B6 G516T allele, resulting in slow hepatic metabolism. After the dosage of efavirenz was lowered, all neuropsychiatric symptoms subside

An efficient algorithm for accelerating the convergence of oscillatory series, useful for computing the polylogarithm and Hurwitz zeta functions

This paper sketches a technique for improving the rate of convergence of a general oscillatory sequence, and then applies this series acceleration algorithm to the polylogarithm and the Hurwitz zeta function. As such, it may be taken as an extension of the techniques given by Borwein's "An efficient algorithm for computing the Riemann zeta function", to more general series. The algorithm provides a rapid means of evaluating Li_s(z) for general values of complex s and the region of complex z values given by |z^2/(z-1)|<4. Alternatively, the Hurwitz zeta can be very rapidly evaluated by means of an Euler-Maclaurin series. The polylogarithm and the Hurwitz zeta are related, in that two evaluations of the one can be used to obtain a value of the other; thus, either algorithm can be used to evaluate either function. The Euler-Maclaurin series is a clear performance winner for the Hurwitz zeta, while the Borwein algorithm is superior for evaluating the polylogarithm in the kidney-shaped region. Both algorithms are superior to the simple Taylor's series or direct summation. The primary, concrete result of this paper is an algorithm allows the exploration of the Hurwitz zeta in the critical strip, where fast algorithms are otherwise unavailable. A discussion of the monodromy group of the polylogarithm is included.Comment: 37 pages, 6 graphs, 14 full-color phase plots. v3: Added discussion of a fast Hurwitz algorithm; expanded development of the monodromy v4:Correction and clarifiction of monodrom

Microscopic Description of Nuclear Fission Dynamics

We discuss possible avenues to study fission dynamics starting from a time-dependent mean-field approach. Previous attempts to study fission dynamics using the time-dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF) theory are analyzed. We argue that different initial conditions may be needed to describe fission dynamics depending on the specifics of the fission phenomenon and propose various approaches towards this goal. In particular, we provide preliminary calculations for studying fission following a heavy-ion reaction using TDHF with a density contraint. Regarding prompt muon-induced fission, we also suggest a new approach for combining the time-evolution of the muonic wave function with a microscopic treatment of fission dynamics via TDHF