Simultaneous multiwavelength observations of sagittarius A

We observed Sgr A* using the Very Large Array (VLA) and the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) at multiple centimeter and millimeter wavelengths on 2003 June 17. The measured flux densities of Sgr A*, together with those obtained from the Submillimeter Array (SMA) and the Keck II 10 m telescope on the same date, are used to construct a simultaneous spectrum of Sgr A* from 90 cm to 3.8 mu m. The simultaneous spectrum shows a spectral break at about 3.6 cm, a possible signature of synchrotron self-absorption of the strong radio outburst that occurred near epoch 2003 July 17. At 90 cm, the flux density of Sgr A* is 0.22 +/- 0.06 Jy, suggesting a sharp decrease in flux density at wavelengths longer than 47 cm. The spectrum at long cm wavelengths appears to be consistent with free-free absorption by a screen of ionized gas with a cutoff similar to 100 cm. This cutoff wavelength appears to be three times longer than that of similar to 30 cm suggested by Davies, Walsh, & Booth based on observations in 1974 and 1975. Our analysis suggests that the flux densities of Sgr A* at wavelengths longer than 30 cm could be attenuated and modulated by stellar winds from massive stars close to Sgr A*.

新基因的从头起源与几种重要物种的进化基因组学研究

自然界丰富的生物多样性不断地激发着包括达尔文在内所有生物学家的研 究热情。自从达尔文进化论提出以来，进化生物学所要回答的一个基本问题就 是生物是如何从一个共同祖先进化到如此丰富多样的。随着分子生物学中心法 则的发现和基因组时代的到来，比较不同物种的基因组（即通过进化基因组学 研究）找出进化过程中发生的遗传变异成为求解这一基本进化生物学问题的重 要方法。 通过比较不同物种的基因组可以发现新基因的诞生是在进化过程中普遍存 在的基本过程，对生物的进化发挥着重要的作用。大量前人的研究认为新基因 主要通过老基因的重复产生，新基因的从头起源很少发生或根本不存在。直至 最近在果蝇中发现了新基因从头起源事件才改变了人们的这种看法，然而这些 研究缺少功能的证据。我们通过比较酿酒酵母近缘种的基因组序列发现了酿酒 酵母中进化出的一个从头起源的新基因BSC4，并且提供了群体遗传学、转录 组、蛋白质组学和表型水平的证据支持这个基因的生物学功能和蛋白编码能 力。同时我们在其近缘种中发现其直系同源的非编码序列拥有RNA 水平的表达 活性，由此我们提出了一个蛋白基因从头起源的两步模型。我们认为一个非编 码DNA 序列进化为蛋白编码基因需要经历两个步骤：第一，DNA 序列先进化出 顺式元件来招募转录机器变成有RNA 转录活性的序列；第二，转录的序列通过 突变获得开放读码框并加入到翻译机器中。 进一步的分析提示BSC4 可能在酿 酒酵母转换到营养贫瘠的环境中并进入生长停滞期时对酿酒酵母的适应性作出 了贡献。酿酒酵母是一种对人类生活十分重要的微生物，它进行发酵的能力在 工业生产中具有重要应用价值。生长停滞期是酿酒酵母实际生产应用中频繁经 ii 历的过程，对这一阶段的适应性进化也对其工业应用有重要意义。 大熊猫是我国的国宝。它是一种具有独特特性的熊科动物，进化上属于食 肉目类群，食性确以竹子为主。为了适应其食性，其前掌的籽骨还发育出了著 名的“伪拇指”来帮助其进食。然而这些性状是如何进化出来的确一直是个未 解之谜。进化基因组学为解决这些问题提供了一个重要的思路和方法。我们通 过应用第二代测序技术对大熊猫基因组进行了从头测序和组装，通过和其它基 因组比较分析发现了大熊猫基因组中不存在编码降解纤维素酶的基因，提示了 大熊猫特殊食性的进化机制很可能是通过其肠道微生物的改变而发生的。同 时，我们也发现了大熊猫鲜味受体的退化，这很可能是一个伴随其食性进化而 发生的变异。 长雄野生稻是栽培稻的近缘种，它和栽培稻同属于AA 基因组。由于它具有 以发达的地下茎为生理表型的多年生特性和自交不亲和性，研究这些特性背后 的遗传机制对改良栽培稻一年生为多年生和构建自交不亲和的新杂交稻育种体 系有重要意义。我们从头测序并组装了长雄野生稻的基因组，通过和栽培稻基 因组的比较分析，在前人工作的基础上找出了决定上述两个重要性状的可能的 基因组区域，为进一步的实验验证提供了候选的基因。同时我们的序列提供了 对其它野生稻特性研究的重要基础。

大熊猫“盛林1号”放归监测

大熊猫(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)是我国特有的珍稀濒危物种，国家Ⅰ级重点保护野生动物，被称为“国宝”。目前，大熊猫被局限在我国中西部的岷山、邛崃、大相岭、小相岭、凉山和秦岭6大山系中。对大熊猫的保护和研究，我国政府、保护生物学科研人员、社会各界及国际保护组织都做了大量的工作。根据全国三次大熊猫调查结果显示，大熊猫栖息地片段化现象依然存在，形成多个隔离的大熊猫小种群。尤其在小相岭、大相岭、岷山B和岷山C种群，大熊猫数量较少，且栖息地破碎，面临较大威胁。有的山系大熊猫种群数量些已低于最小可存活大熊猫种群的数量，如果不采取人工措施，这些种群的大熊猫存在灭绝的危险。 将圈养大熊猫放归野外，以补充野外大熊猫种群数量，增加其遗传多样性，复壮和扩大野生大熊猫种群，是大熊猫人工繁育的最终目标。为降低放归的风险性，在放归人工繁育大熊猫前，将救护存活的野生大熊猫先有计划放归野外，并对其进行跟踪监测，对积累大熊猫放归经验，进一步研究大熊猫野外生物学习性，丰富放归地大熊猫种群遗传多样性，为人工繁育大熊猫放归野外夯实基础，具有十分重要的意义。2005年8月8日，国家林业局和四川省人民政府联合将救护野生大熊猫“盛林1号”放归于龙溪－虹口国家级自然保护区内岷山B大熊猫种群栖息地，并进行系统监测研究。成功的积累了一些放归经验和放归大熊猫的生物学资料，为人工繁育大熊猫的放归奠定了一定基础。 2005年8月至2007年6月期间，我们采用GPS无线电项圈、粪便DNA检测和红外线自动触发相机陷阱的方法，对大熊猫“盛林１号”进行了追踪监测，获得了以下成果： 1.通过分析“盛林1号”放归后了活动趋势和采用两种贝叶斯方法，利用目前五大山系的已有微卫星遗传数据，检测“盛林１号”与五大山系的遗传关系的远近，推测其来源于邛崃山系的可能性较大。 2.收集了大量“盛林1号”野外生境选择数据。我们认为“盛林1号”放归后经历了应急期、初步稳定期、长途迁徙期三个阶段（这可能是今后放归大熊猫都必经的三个时期），并与当地大熊猫种群已发生交流。目前“盛林１号”仍在寻找适合的巢域。 3.结合过去监测数据分析，在放归区域大熊猫和羚牛尽管同域分布，但由于食性不同，对微生境选择还是有着很大差异，因此保护管理对策要有针对性。 4.“盛林1号”的放归是成功的。救护大熊猫异地放归工作应继续开展，但要改进放归后的监测技术。要改进现有对人工饲养大熊猫野化培训方法和放归方式，才能真正将人工繁殖个体放归野外。 Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is an endangered species endemic to China. It was listed as National Protected I Class Species and is crowned as “National treasure” of China. The populations of Giant Panda are limited in 6 mountain system in Center-West of China, i.e. Mingshan, Mt. Qionglai, Mt. Daxiangling，Mt. Xiaoxiangling, Mt. Liangshan and Mt. Qinling. The results of the Third National Survey on Giant Panda showed that the habitats of Giant Panda is still fracted and Giant Panda population is divided into several isolated small populations. Population B from Mt. Daxiangling, Mt. Xiaoxiangling and Mt. Mingshan and Population C from Mt. Mingshan are very small with very fracted habitat and are more endangered. Several populations in those mountain systems are smaller than Minimum Viable Population of Giant Panda. It is very possible that those populations will be extinct without artificial help. The ultimate Goal of Reintroduction caged Giant Panda to wild is to increase wild population size and genetics diversity and rebuild and expand wild Giant Panda population. It is of significant to return rescued wild Giant Panda to wild and monitor their behavior before reintroduction artificial reproduced Giant Panda. It will increase our knowledge on reintroduction of Giant Panda. Aug 8th, 2005, “Shenglin 1”, a rescued wild Giant Panda was returned to Longxi-Hongkou National Nature Reservoir, which is habitat of Giant Panda Population B of Mt. Mingshan. A systematic monitor was carried out on “Shenglin 1”, and the successful return enriched our biological knowledge on Giant Panda reintroduction. It will be very help for future conservation work on reintroduce artificial reproduced Giant Panda. “Shenglin 1” was tracked with GPS collar, DNA in feces and infrared-trigged camera from Aug 2005 to Jun 2007. 1. Locomotion behavior and microsatellites comparison with Giant Panda from the 5 mountain systems indicated that “Shenglin 1” is possibly from Mt. Qionglai. 2. Habitat usage of “Shenglin 1” was studied. It was suggested that there were 3 phases after return, i.e. emergency response, preliminary stable phase and long distance locomotion, which could be a general process for other returned Giant Panda. It was indicated that there was some interaction between “Shenglin 1” and local population. “Shenglin 1” is seeking for suitable home range now. 3. Monitor data also indicated that microhabitat preference of Giant Panda and takin (Budorcas taxicolor) are different because of different diet, though they are sympatric. It was suggested that conservation management for the two species should be plan in particular. 4. The reintroduction of “Shenglin 1” is a successful case. The program of return rescued Giant Panda to other habitats is of value and should be continued. However, more improvement is needed for the monitor technique. More improvement is need for feralization and returning before we return artificial reproduced Giant Panda to wild.

圈养大熊猫遗传结构研究

大熊猫(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)是我国特有的濒危野生动物之一，迁地保护已经成为大熊猫物种保护的一个重要方面。当前大熊猫圈养种群数量增长很快，但是其“多雄配一雌”的交配（配种方式），以及生产过程中记录遗失等原因，造成圈养种群普遍存在亲子关系不清、谱系混乱等问题。为了加强遗传管理，有必要进行亲子关系鉴定、完善谱系；还需要检测种群的基因多样性水平，并在此基础上提出相应的遗传管理建议。 本研究应用9个具有高度多态性的大熊猫微卫星标记，对来自成都大熊猫繁育研究基地2006和2007年度出生的17只大熊猫幼崽及其全部候选父母共37个样品做了基因型分析；然后应用最大似然法，判断幼崽的父－子关系。同时，还对来自卧龙大熊猫保护研究中心的31只大熊猫个体也做了基因分型。将两个种群的数据进行比较：1）等位基因多样性和杂合度水平；2）通过F统计法，分析两个种群的遗传分化水平；3）通过遗传距离法，对所有个体进行聚类分析。 研究结果表明： 1）在母子关系不清的情况下，9个微卫星标记联合的父亲鉴定排除概率E为0.940090；而在母子关系确实的条件下，E= 0.993933。由于本研究中所有后代的母亲都是清楚的，因此这9个微卫星位点能够有效用于圈养大熊猫的亲子鉴定。似然法分析也表明，本研究所获得的亲子鉴定结果置信度在95％以上。 2）2005年种源交换后，成都大熊猫的等位基因多样性和杂合度水平都略高于卧龙种群（但没有达到显著水平），两个种群间的遗传分化水平也有所降低。但是，与卧龙相比，成都种群面临较大的近交压力。 基于以上研究结果，我们建议：进一步加强种源交换和基因交流，把两个种群当作一个遗传单元(MU)来进行管理。 Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is one of the endangerd wildlife endemic to China, and the ex-situ breeding become more and more important for the conservation of this speices. Although the captive population is expanding rapidly, the uncertainty occurs because the paternities of cubs are not clear due to the breeding pattern of “multiple male to single female,”as well as the records lost, resulting in errors in the studbook. For this reason, the paternity of the cubs and the genetic diversity of the captive giant pandas should be tested carefully to get information for the genetic management in the future. 9 polymorphism microsatellite markers were used to do paternity assignment for the 17 cubs born in 2006 and 2007 from Chengdu Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding (CGB) based on the maximum-likelihood methods. A total of 37 individuals were sampled, including all the candidate dams and sires. These samples were also used for comparing with 31 individuals sampling from Wolong China Research and Conservation Center for the Giant Panda (WCG). The comparing indexes were: 1) Allelic diversity and heterozygosity; 2) Genetic differentiation based on F-statistic; 3) Cluster analysis based on genetic distance. The results show that: 1) If the mother is unkown, the combined exclusion probability using these 9 loci is 0.940090. If the mother is known then the exclusion probability is 0.993933. Since the dam-offspring relationship is known in captive populations, the results could resolve unknown paternities in the study. And the confidence level of the results is 95% based on the likelihood methods. 2) The allelic diversity and the heterozygosity of CGB were higher than WCG (n ot significant), and the genetic differentiation was reduced a little since the genetic exchange between two populations in 2005. However, the population of CGB will be threatening by inbreeding seriously than that of WCG. From above, we suggest to reiforce the genetic exchange and geneflow between CGB and WCG, and these two populations should be regarded as one genetic management unit (MU).

利用含纤维素原料发酵产氢的研究

本文从新鲜大熊猫粪便和实验室保存的沼气发酵富集物中筛选得到 4 株厌氧纤维素分解菌B5、C3、D3-2、D4-1，利用这4 株菌预处理秸秆，然后将预处理后的秸秆用本实验室保存的厌氧产氢菌来发酵进行生物产氢。同时还比较研究了：○1 用1% H2SO4、25% NH3 · H2O和12% NaOH对秸秆进行化学预处理；○2 用厌氧纤维素分解菌对秸秆进行生物预处理；○3 化学与生物组合预处理对秸秆发酵生物产氢的影响。实验结果表明：12% NaOH和生物组合预处理后的秸秆发酵产氢效果最好，其产氢量为21.04 mL g-1，是未经预处理秸秆的75 倍；最高氢气浓度为57.3%，是未经预处理秸秆的96 倍；其产氢的最适pH 为4.5 ~ 6.0，最佳底物浓度为45 ~ 55 g L-1；其发酵过程中的挥发性脂肪酸（VFAs）以乙酸和丁酸为主。 本实验筛选到的 4 株厌氧纤维素分解菌株中，B5 和D4-1 在降解纤维素的同时还具有直接以纤维素为底物产氢的功能，因此本文分别对菌株B5 和D4-1 以及二者的组合菌株B5+D4-1 直接利用秸秆为基质发酵生物产氢做了初步探索研究。结果发现：组合菌株发酵产氢的效果以及对秸秆纤维素和半纤维素的降解率要比单菌株好。菌株B5+D4-1 发酵，秸秆的产氢量为11.4 mL g-1，分别是B5 和D4-1 单菌株的1.6 倍和3.1 倍；组合菌株B5+D4-1 发酵的最大氢气浓度为31.6%，分别是B5 和D4-1 单菌株的1.3 倍和2.4 倍。在发酵过程中，组合菌株B5+D4-1 对秸秆纤维素和半纤维素的最高降解率分别为35.0%和11.8%，分别是菌株B5 的1.2 倍和1.1 倍，是菌株D4-1的1.5 倍和1.3 倍。菌株B5，D4-1 以及组合菌株B5+D4-1 发酵过程产生的挥发性脂肪酸（VFAs）均以乙酸为主。菌株B5 单独发酵过程中只检测到乙酸和丁酸，菌株D4-1 单独发酵以及组合菌株B5+D4-1 发酵过程检测到有乙醇、乙酸和丁酸。 The fermentative bio-hydrogen production by anaerobic hydrogen bacteria preserved in our laboratory from the straw which had been pretreated by four anaerobic cellulolytic decomposition strains of B5, C3, D3-2, D4-1 which were isolated and screened from giant panda’s excrement and biogas fermentation enrichments conserved in our laboratory was studied. Besides, the impact of chemical(1% H2SO4、25% NH3·H2O and 12% NaOH), biological (cellulolytic strains of B5, C3, D3-2, D4-1) and chemical-biological combination pretreatment on bio-hydrogen production from straw by fermentation was also comparatively studied. The experiments showed that the best results of bio-hydrogen production were obtained from the straw with 12% NaOH-biological combination pretreatment method, its capability of bio-hydrogen production was 21.04 mL g-1, which was 75 times higher than the straw without pretreatment; the maximum concentration of H2 was 57.3%, which was 96 times higher than the straw without pretreatment; its optimum pH range was 4.5 ~ 6.0, and its optimum range of substrate concentration was 45 ~ 55 g L-1; In the process of fermentation, the main composition of VFAs were acetate and butyrate. Among the four strains of B5, C3, D3-2, D4-1, B5 and D4-1 have the function of hydrogen-producing by cellulose used as substrate when it decompose cellulose, so the preliminary exploration and research on fermentative bio-hydrogen production by B5, D4-1 and B5+D4-1 which directly used straw as substrate was carried out. The results showed that the combination strains of B5+D4-1 was strikingly better than either B5 or D4-1 strain in the fermentative hydrogen production. The hydrogen-production capability of B5+D4-1 was 11.4 mL g-1 which was respectively 1.6 times and 3.1times higher than B5 and D4-1; the maximum hydrogen concentration of B5+D4-1 was 31.6% which was respectively 1.3 times and 2.4 times higher than B5 and D4-1. In the process of fermentation, the maximum degradation rate of cellulose and hemicellulose in straw was respectively 35.0% and 11.8% by B5+D4-1, which was 1.2 times and 1.1 times higher than B5, and was 1.5 times and 1.3 times higher than D4-1 respectively. The Volatile Fattty Acids(VFAs) generated in the process of fermentation with strains of B5, D4-1 and B5+D4-1 were all mainly acetate. Acetate and butyrate were detected in the process of fermentation with B5, ethonal, acetate and butyrate were detected in the process of fermentation with D4-1 and B5+D4-1.

Importance of self-consistency in relativistic continuum random-phase approximation calculations

A fully consistent relativistic continuum random phase approximation (RCRPA) is constructed, where the contribution of the continuum spectrum to nuclear excitations is treated exactly by the single-particle Green's function technique. The full consistency of the calculations is achieved that the same effective Lagrangian is adopted for the ground state and the excited states. The negative energy states in the Dirac sea are also included in the single-particle Green's function in the no-sea approximation. The currents from the vector meson and photon exchanges and the Coulomb interaction in RCRPA are treated exactly. The spin-orbit interaction is included naturally in the relativistic frame. Numerical results of the RCRPA are checked with the constrained relativistic mean-field theory. We study the effects of the inconsistency, particularly the currents and Coulomb interaction in various collective multipole excitations.

Ultrahigh compression of water using intense heavy ion beams: laboratory planetary physics

Intense heavy ion beams offer a unique tool for generating samples of high energy density matter with extreme conditions of density and pressure that are believed to exist in the interiors of giant planets. An international accelerator facility named FAIR (Facility for Antiprotons and Ion Research) is being constructed at Darmstadt, which will be completed around the year 2015. It is expected that this accelerator facility will deliver a bunched uranium beam with an intensity of 5x10(11) ions per spill with a bunch length of 50-100 ns. An experiment named LAPLAS (Laboratory Planetary Sciences) has been proposed to achieve a low-entropy compression of a sample material like hydrogen or water (which are believed to be abundant in giant planets) that is imploded in a multi-layered target by the ion beam. Detailed numerical simulations have shown that using parameters of the heavy ion beam that will be available at FAIR, one can generate physical conditions that have been predicted to exist in the interior of giant planets. In the present paper, we report simulations of compression of water that show that one can generate a plasma phase as well as a superionic phase of water in the LAPLAS experiments.

Relativistic Continuum Random Phase Approximation and Applications II. Applications

The fully consistent relativistic continuum random phase approximation (RCRPA) has been constructed in the momentum representation in the first part of this paper. In this part we describe the numerical details for solving the Bethe-Salpeter equation. The numerical results are checked by the inverse energy weighted sum rules in the isoscalar giant monopole resonance, which are obtained from the constraint relativistic mean field theory and also calculated with the integration of the RCRPA strengths. Good agreement between the misachieved. We study the effects of the self-consistency violation, particularly the currents and Coulomb interaction to various collective multipole excitations. Using the fully consistent RCRPA method, we investigate the properties of isoscalar and isovector collective multipole excitations for some stable and exotic from light to heavy nuclei. The properties of the resonances, such as the centroid energies and strength distributions are compared with the experimental data as well as with results calculated in other models.

原子核巨共振温度变化机制

我们利用流体动力学宏观理论与HF微观理论对同位旋标量多极巨共振能量随温度的变化机制做了讨论。首先用流体动力学方法导出了同位旋标量多极巨共振能量随温度变化的一般关系式。公式表明巨共振能量随温度的变化受制于热核体积膨胀和核子平均动能增加两个因素之间的竟争，它们分别使共振能减小和增加。接着又用Skyrme-HF方法得到了核半径系数和核子平均动能随温度变化的关系式。最后得到同位旋标量多极巨共振能量随温度变化的一个简单关系式。体积膨胀和核子平均动能增加这两种因素的影响大体互相抵消，最终导致热核同位旋标量多极巨共振能量基本不随温度变化。我们用Boltzmann-Nordherin-Vlasov方程数值计算和分析了重离子反应中单极巨共振OMR的形成与衰减。为了系统地比较入射能、碰撞参数对不同反应系统GMR的形成与衰减的影响，我们计算了不同条件下不同重离子反应系统的四极矩、动能和单极矩随时间的演化。计算表明，1)GMR能量与入射能和碰撞参数无关，仅仅是核子数的函数。2) 入射能愈大GMR形成稍有提前，GMR振幅也越大但OMR振幅衰减越快GMR消亡越早。3) 碰撞参数越大GMR振幅越小GMR消亡越早。4) GMR在40fm/c左右形成，依照入射能和碰撞参数的不同在200到400fm/c后消亡，入射能愈大或碰撞参数愈大GMR消亡越早。概括地讲，GMR能量是核子数的光滑函数，与入射能或激发能无关；入射能越大GMR振幅越大，GMR形成时间稍早但衰减和消亡更快。我们用经典唯象输运模型和量子输运模型讨论了核系统扩张过程中OQR模式的密度涨落并用它们来模拟系统的集体行为。我们讨论了集体坐标Q与集体动量P的涨落随时间的演化。计算显示集体变量Q的涨落发展主要取决于通过随机驱动力引入的初始统计涨落，统计涨落与量子涨落行为相似。在核系统扩张阶段耗散与涨落机制对于动量分布的影响是重要的。量子涨落在初值中已经存在，对于低温系统，量子涨落所起的作用尤为重要，它能够缩短涨落达到特定值的临界时间，从而在动力学对称性破缺中发挥重要作用。由于量子涨落的作用，处于spinodal状态的核系统将更早地分解。我们也讨论了双核系统GDR的形成与性质，还探讨了GDR宽度随温度变化的机制。

中能重离子碰撞中的同位旋效应和热核巨共振中的有限力程研究

本论文包括两部分内容，第一部分是关于中能重离子碰撞中的同位旋效应研究。第二部分是热原子核巨共振中有限力程研究。随着放射性次级核束的产生和利用，使得中能重离子碰撞中的同位旋效应研究成为核物理学的重要前沿课题。通过从稳定线到滴线附近大跨度同位旋范围内的重离子反应，使得人们可以提取核物质状态方程和介质中核子－核子碰撞同位旋旋相关截面的知识。我们将量子分子动力学(QMD)改造成为同位旋相关的量子分子动力学(IQMD)，对中能重离子碰撞中同位旋效应进行了深入而系统地研究。在研究丰中子和缺中子系统的多重碎裂过程中，发现了多重碎裂过程的同位旋效应，例如缺中子系统的中等质量碎片多重性大于丰中子系统。这对于了解多重碎裂的机理有重要意义。在研究对同位旋相关的核物质状态方程(对称势)和介质中核子－核子碰撞截面灵敏的观测量过程中，发现前平衡发射中子－质子比在较宽能区内(E<150MeV／u)对同位旋相关的核物质状态方程灵敏，但对介质中同位旋相关的核子-核子碰撞截面不灵敏；而原子核阻止在中能区(费米能

Ab initio study on the electronic, magnetic, and mechanical properties of CaCu3V4O12

The electronic, magnetic, and mechanical properties of CaCu3V4O12 are investigated by use of the density functional theory method. The calculated results indicate that CaCu3V4O12 is a half-metallic and ferrimagnetic compound. The magnetic coupling for Cu-V is antiferromagnetic, while those for Cu-Cu and V-V are ferromagnetic. The obtained elastic constants suggest that the compound is mechanically stable. The calculated oxidation states and density of states reveal the existence of a mixed valence for Cu and V. This supports the experimental observation of the mixed valence in Ca2+Cu2+Cu2+(V25+V24+)O-12.

Structures and physical properties of n=3 Ruddlesden-Popper compounds Ca4Mn3-xNbxO10 (0 <= x <= 0.2)

The Ruddlesden-Popper series of compounds Ca4Mn3-xNbxO10(x = 0-0.2) have been prepared by solid-state methods. Structural, magnetic, electrical, and magnetoresistive studies were performed on the compounds. Nb doping caused increases in both unit cell volume and octahedral distortion. The magnetization measurements indicated that the doped samples displayed ferromagnetism-like behavior, which could be explained by the double-exchange interaction between Mn4+ and Mn3+ induced by the charge-compensation effect.

Structural stability and magnetic coupling in CaCu3Co4O12 from first principles

The structural, electronic and magnetic properties of CaCu3Co4O12 were studied by use of the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave method. The calculated results indicate that CaCu3Co4O12 is stable both thermodynamically and mechanically. Both GGA (generalized gradient approximation) and GGA + U methods predict that CaCu3Co4O12 is metallic. The ferromagnetic configuration is only slightly more stable in energy compared with the non-magnetic configuration (3.7 meV), suggesting that they are competitive for being the ground state. Co is in the low spin state (S = 1/2).