New particle-hole symmetries and the extended interacting boson model

We describe shape coexistence and intruder many-particle-hole (mp-nh)excitations in the extended interacting boson model EIBM and EIBM-2,combining both the particle-hole and the charge degree of freedom.Besides the concept of I-spin multiplets and subsequently $SU(4)$ multiplets, we touch upon the existence of particle-hole mixed symmetry states. We furthermore describe regular and intrudermany-particle-hole excitations in one nucleus on an equal footing, creating (annihilating) particle-hole pairs using the K-spin operatorand studying possible mixing between these states. As a limiting case,we treat the coupling of two IBM-1 Hamiltonians, each decribing the regular and intruder excitations respectively, in particular lookingat the $U(5)$-$SU(3)$ dynamical symmetry coupling. We apply such coupling scheme to the Po isotopes

Shape coexistence in atomic nuclei and its spectroscopic fingerprints

In the present discussion we concentrate on shape coexistence asobtained within a deformed single-particle field as well as startingfrom the spherical shell-model, incorporating deformationeffects via the residual proton-neutron quadrupole interaction. Wediscuss in particular the appearance of shape coexisting phenomena inthe Pb region. In a second part then, we present a number ofexperimental fingerprints that allow to recognize the appearance ofshape coexisting phenomena or of shape mixing through the use ofselective experiments (e.g. band structure, spectroscopic factors,static moments, E0 properties and alpha-decay)

Patient-Reported Outcomes in Free-Flap Breast Reconstructive Surgery over Time (PRO-BREST)

INTRODUCTION Patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) are increasingly relevant to assess surgical quality and guide decisions in breast reconstruction (BR). Satisfaction with outcomes may change as time progresses. We assessed satisfaction in patients who underwent free-flap BR in the last 12 years. METHODS All patients who underwent free-flap BR from 2006 to 2018 were invited to complete the validated BREAST-Q for reconstruction. The BREAST-Q comprises 6 domains covering various aspects of satisfaction. Unadjusted linear regression assessed the relationship between different domains of the BREAST-Q and time since BR. Two-sample t tests assessed differences in satisfaction between patients who underwent BR ≥5 years versus <5 years prior. RESULTS Forty-three women with primary or secondary free-flap BR between 2006 and 2018 were included in the study. Most patients (n = 33, 76.7%) underwent DIEP flap BR. Overall satisfaction with breasts and with outcomes improved as time since BR increased (p = 0.031 and p = 0.017, respectively). Overall satisfaction with outcomes scored higher in patients with BR ≥5 years prior (≥5 years vs. <5 years: breast score 88.6 (SD 12.5) versus 66.9 (SD 21.8); p = 0.005). Satisfaction with breasts and psychosocial well-being also scored higher in these patients. There was no difference in results between primary and secondary BR. Patients who underwent additional surgery (refinements) reported higher satisfaction with outcomes and abdominal well-being. CONCLUSIONS PROMs concerning satisfaction with breast and with outcomes following BR improve as time since treatment progresses. This study demonstrates that time since diagnosis may be an important factor in satisfaction. It underlines the importance of long-term PROMs related to BR, to help provide patients and health care professionals in decision-making and in managing expectations related to BR

The assessment of thermal and radiation stability of UHMWPE

Preirradiated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was subjected to other cycle of γ-exposure in order to explain the behavior of this material after radiation processing. The oxygen uptake investigation was selected for the characterization of thermal stability of multisession irradiation. The long life radicals promote crosslinking or oxidative degradation depending on the second irradiation dose and on the environmental conditions. The main kinetic parameters: oxidation period and oxidation rate were evaluated depicting the availability of radiochemical processing of UHMWPE for further long term applications. Irradiation of UHMWPE in salt solution reveals the improvement in the thermal strength for low exposure doses

Frequency of rare mutations and common genetic variations in severe hypertriglyceridemia in the general population of Spain

Background: Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is a common complex metabolic trait that results of the accumulation of relatively common genetic variants in combination with other modifier genes and environmental factors resulting in increased plasma triglyceride (TG) levels. The majority of severe primary hypertriglyceridemias is diagnosed in adulthood and their molecular bases have not been fully defined yet. The prevalence of HTG is highly variable among populations, possibly caused by differences in environmental factors and genetic background. However, the prevalence of very high TG and the frequency of rare mutations causing HTG in a whole non-selected population have not been previously studied. Methods: The total of 23, 310 subjects over 18 years from a primary care-district in a middle-class area of Zaragoza (Spain) with TG >500 mg/dL were selected to establish HTG prevalence. Those affected of primary HTG were considered for further genetic analisys. The promoters, coding regions and exon-intron boundaries of LPL, LMF1, APOC2, APOA5, APOE and GPIHBP1 genes were sequenced. The frequency of rare variants identified was studied in 90 controls. Results: One hundred ninety-four subjects (1.04 %) had HTG and 90 subjects (46.4 %) met the inclusion criteria for primary HTG. In this subgroup, nine patients (12.3 %) were carriers of 7 rare variants in LPL, LMF1, APOA5, GPIHBP1 or APOE genes. Three of these mutations are described for the first time in this work. The presence of a rare pathogenic mutation did not confer a differential phenotype or a higher family history of HTG. Conclusion: The prevalence of rare mutations in candidate genes in subjects with primary HTG is low. The low frequency of rare mutations, the absence of a more severe phenotype or the dominant transmission of the HTG would not suggest the use of genetic analysis in the clinical practice in this population

Texture-modifying properties of microbial transglutaminase on 2 popular Hungarian products: Trappist cheese and frankfurter

The aim of this study was to show how microbial transglutaminase (mTG) can be used as an effective texture-modifier for two popular Hungarian products: Trappist cheese and frankfurter. In both cases we investigated how components of these products, milkfat in cheese and phosphate in frankfurter, can be substituted by mTG. Therefore, Trappist cheese samples were produced from cow milk of 2.8%, 3.5%, and 5% milk fat. The effect of ripening was evaluated with Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) and sensory evaluation (scoring test, 10 trained panellists). Springiness and cohesiveness values were significantly higher by enzyme-treated semi-hard cheese samples at lower milk fat levels. Sensory evaluation showed that the enzyme-treatment led to higher scores by cheese samples made from cow milk of 3.5% and 5% milk fat. Frankfurter was made with 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%, and 0.7% tetrasodium pyrophosphate, and partly enzyme-treated with 0.2% commercial mTG enzyme preparation. Our results showed that mTG is able to significantly improve hardness and crunchiness by frankfurters made with 0.1% phosphate addition. Our sensory evaluation suggests that mTG and phosphate should be applied in combination in order to have a final product with recognisably more homogeneous texture

3Rs in Education.

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Tests of the random phase approximation for transition strengths

We investigate the reliability of transition strengths computed in the random-phase approximation (RPA), comparing with exact results from diagonalization in full $0\hbar\omega$ shell-model spaces. The RPA and shell-model results are in reasonable agreement for most transitions; however some very low-lying collective transitions, such as isoscalar quadrupole, are in serious disagreement. We suggest the failure lies with incomplete restoration of broken symmetries in the RPA. Furthermore we prove, analytically and numerically, that standard statements regarding the energy-weighted sum rule in the RPA do not hold if an exact symmetry is broken.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures; Appendix added with new proof regarding violation of energy-weighted sum rul