Electron collisions with Fe-peak elements: Forbidden transitions between the low lying valence states 3d6, 3d54s, and 3d54p of Fe III:

Effective collision strengths are presented for the Fe-peak element Fe III at electron temperatures (Te in degrees Kelvin) in the range 2 × 103 to 1 × 106. Forbidden transitions results are given between the 3d6, 3d54s, and the 3d54p manifolds applicable to the modeling of laboratory and astrophysical plasmas.

A comparison of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA status in testicular sperm from fertile men and those with obstructive azoospermia

Background: Mitochondria are vital to sperm as their motility powerhouses. They are also the only animal organelles with their own unique genome; encoding subunits for the complexes required for the electron transfer chain. Methods: A modified long PCR technique was used to study mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in ejaculated and testicular sperm samples from fertile men (n=11) and testicular sperm from men with obstructive azoospermia (n=25). Nuclear DNA fragmentation was measured by an alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (COMET) assay. Results: Wild-type mtDNA was detected in only 60% of fertile mens�??�?�¢?? testicular sperm, 50% of their ejaculated sperm and 46% of testicular sperm from men with obstructive azoospermia. The incidence of mitochondrial deletions in testicular sperm of fertile and infertile men was not significantly different but the mean size of the deletions was significantly less in testicular sperm from fertile men compared with men with obstructive azoospermia (p<0.02). Nuclear DNA fragmentation in testicular sperm from fertile men and men with obstructive azoospermia was not significantly different. Conclusion: Multiple mtDNA deletions are common in testicular and ejaculated sperm from both fertile and infertile men. However, in males with obstructive azoospermia the mtDNA deletions in testicular sperm are of a larger scale.

Single ionization of helium by antiproton impact

We study the ionization of helium (fie) in collision with antiprotons (p) in the energy range from 10 keV to 1000 keV. We adopt a semiclassical single center close coupling approach in which the wave function for the electron is expanded in a B-spline basis centered on the nucleus of the He atom, The calculations are performed using two different models: the independent particle (IP) model and the one-electron (OE) approximation. The interaction between the active electron and the rest of the atom, i.e. passive electron and nucleus, is represented by a model potential. The results obtained are compared with experimental data as well as with existing theoretical calculations. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Positronium-atom collisions

New results are presented for Ps(1s) scattering by H(1s), He(1(1)S) and Li(2s). Calculations have been performed in a coupled state framework, usually employing pseudostates, and allowing for excitation of both the Ps and the atom. In the Ps(1s)-H(1s) calculations the H- formation channel has also been included using a highly accurate H- wave function. Resonances resulting from unstable states in which the positron orbits H- have been calculated and analysed. The new Ps(1s)-He(1(1)S) calculations still fail to resolve existing discrepancies between theory and experiment at very low energies. The possible importance of the Ps(-) formation channel in all three collision systems is discussed. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differential cross sections for fragmentation of positronium

Cross sections differential with respect to energy and angle of ejected positrons and electrons for Ps(ls) fragmentation in collision with He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe targets are reported. For Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe, only the case where the target is not excited (target elastic collisions) is considered. For He, fragmentation with target excitation/ionization (target inelastic collisions) is also studied. The impulse approximation has been used for target elastic fragmentation, the first Born approximation for target inelastic processes. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effective collision strengths for transitions in Fe XIII

Effective collision strengths for transitions among the lowest 97 fine-structure levels belonging to the (1s(2)2s(2)2p(6)) 3s(2)3p(2), 3s3p(3), 3s(2)3p3d, 3p(4), 3s3p(2)3d and 3s(2)3d(2) configurations of Fe XIII have been calculated using the fully relativistic Dirac Atomic R-matrix Code (DARC) of Norrington & Grant (2004). Resonances have been resolved in the threshold region, and results are reported over a wide electron temperature range up to log T-e = 6.8 K. Comparisons are made with the earlier available R-matrix results of Gupta & Tayal (1998), and the accuracy of the data is assessed.

Effective collision strengths for transitions in Fe X

Collision strengths for 4005 transitions among the lowest 90 levels of the (1s(2)2s(2)2p(6)) 3s(2)3p(5), 3s3p(6), 3s(2)3p(4)3d, 3s3p(5)3d and 3s(2)3p(3)3d(2) configurations of Fe X have been calculated using the Dirac Atomic R-matrix Code (DARC) of Norrington & Grant, over a wide energy range up to 210 Ryd. Resonances have been resolved in the threshold region, and effective collision strengths have been obtained over a wide temperature range up to 107 K. The present calculations should represent a significant improvement ( in both range and accuracy) over the earlier available results of Bhatia & Doschek and Pelan & Berrington. Based on several comparisons, the accuracy of our data is assessed to be better than 20%, for a majority of transitions.

Radiative rates, collision strengths and effective collision strengths for transitions in Mo XXXIV

Radiative rates for electric dipole (E I), electric quadrupole (E2), magnetic dipole (M1), and magnetic quadrupole (M2) transitions among the lowest 60 fine-structure levels of the (1s(2)) 2S(2)2p(5), 2s2p(6), and 2S(2)2p(4)3l configurations of F-like Mo XXXIV have been calculated using the fully relativistic GRASP code. Additionally, collision strengths for transitions among these levels have been computed over a wide energy range below 3200Ry, using the Dirac Atomic R-matrix Code. Resonances have been resolved in a fine energy mesh in order to calculate the effective collision strengths. Results for radiative rates and excitation rates are presented for all transitions, and for collision strengths for transitions from the lowest three levels to the higher lying levels. The accuracy of the present data is assessed to be similar to 20%.