Cd110,116(α,α)Cd110,116 elastic scattering and systematic investigation of elastic α scattering cross sections along the Z=48 isotopic and N=62 isotonic chains

The elastic scattering cross sections for the reactions Cd110,116(α,α)Cd110,116 at energies above and below the Coulomb barrier are presented to provide a sensitive test for the α-nucleus optical potential parameter sets. Additional constraints for the optical potential are taken from the analysis of elastic scattering excitation functions at backward angles which are available in literature. Moreover, the variation of the elastic α scattering cross sections along the Z=48 isotopic and N=62 isotonic chain is investigated by the study of the ratios of the Cd106,110,116(α,α)Cd106,110,116 scattering cross sections at E cm15.6and18.8 MeV and the ratio of the Cd110(α,α)Cd110 and Sn112(α,α)Sn112 reaction cross sections at Ecm18.8 MeV, respectively. These ratios are sensitive probes for the α-nucleus optical potential parametrizations. The potentials under study are a basic prerequisite for the prediction of α-induced reaction cross sections (e.g., for the calculation of stellar reaction rates in the astrophysical p or γ process). © 2011 American Physical Society.This work was supported by the EUROGENESIS research program, by the Hungarian Office of the National Scientific Research Fund (OTKA), Grants No. NN83261 and No. K068801, by the European Research Council, Grant No. 203175, and by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (NSF Grant No. PHY0822648). G.G.K. and D.G. acknowledge the support of the Spanish Interministerial Commission of Science and Technology, under Project No. FPA2005-02379, and the Ministry of Education and Science (MEC) Consolider, Project No. CSD2007-00042. G.G. acknowledges support from the Bolyai grant. D.G. acknowledges support from the Spanish Ministry of Science Juan de la Cierva grant. This work was also supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), Grants No. 108T508 (TBAG1001) and No. 109T585 (under the EUROGENESIS research program). Fruitful discussions with M. Avrigeanu are gratefully acknowledged.Peer Reviewe

Difficult Urethral Catheterization in Cardiovascular Surgery Patients: Do you have a Road Map?

Purpose: To report our approach and findings of intraoperative difficult urethral catheterization in cardiovascular surgery patients.Materials and Methods: A total of 60 male patients who underwent intraoperative urologic consultation during anesthesia preparation for the insertion of Foley catheter where urology team failed to insert the latex Foley catheter by the normal procedure, were enrolled in the study. The kind of problems encountered and the methods employed were considered in this paper.Results: In 4 (6.6%) out of 60 patients 14 F and 12 F silicone Foley catheters and in 6 patients (10%) 16 F Tiemann Foley catheters were inserted. Fifty patients (83%), in whom various types and sizes of Foley catheter could not be inserted, underwent rigid or flexible cystoscopy under endo-camera guidance. Eight of these patients (16%) underwent flexible cystoscopy, and 42 patients (84%) underwent rigid cystoscopy. The distribution of different pathologies seen in 50 patients, who underwent cystoscopy, was as follows: urethral calculi (2 patients), false passage (12 patients), bladder neck contracture or high bladder neck (16 patients), prostatic hypertrophy (8 patients), urethral stricture (12 patients). No micturition problem was observed during the follow-up.Conclusion: We should strive to resolve the problem of urethral catheterization with the least possible trauma especially in patients with increased risk of bleeding who are scheduled for cardiovascular surgery. We think that performing this endoscopic procedure by cystoscopy helps to define the existing pathology and to relieve the problem successfully