Photonuclear reactions with Zinc: A case for clinical linacs

The use of bremsstrahlung photons produced by a linac to induce photonuclear reactions is wide spread. However, using a clinical linac to produce the photons is a new concept. We aimed to induce photonuclear reactions on zinc isotopes and measure the subsequent transition energies and half-lives. For this purpose, a bremsstrahlung photon beam of 18 MeV endpoint energy produced by the Philips SLI-25 linac has been used. The subsequent decay has been measured with a well-shielded single HPGe detector. The results obtained for transition energies are in good agreement with the literature data and in many cases surpass these in accuracy. For the half-lives, we are in agreement with the literature data, but do not achieve their precision. The obtained accuracy for the transition energies show what is achievable in an experiment such as ours. We demonstrate the usefulness and benefits of employing clinical linacs for nuclear physics experiments

Quadrupole collectivity in Ca 42 from low-energy Coulomb excitation with AGATA

A Coulomb-excitation experiment to study electromagnetic properties of Ca42 was performed using a 170-MeV calcium beam from the TANDEM XPU facility at INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro. γ rays from excited states in Ca42 were measured with the AGATA spectrometer. The magnitudes and relative signs of ten E2 matrix elements coupling six low-lying states in Ca42, including the diagonal E2 matrix elements of 21+ and 22+ states, were determined using the least-squares code gosia. The obtained set of reduced E2 matrix elements was analyzed using the quadrupole sum rule method and yielded overall quadrupole deformation for 01,2+ and 21,2+ states, as well as triaxiality for 01,2+ states, establishing the coexistence of a weakly deformed ground-state band and highly deformed slightly triaxial sideband in Ca42. The experimental results were compared with the state-of-the-art large-scale shell-model and beyond-mean-field calculations, which reproduce well the general picture of shape coexistence in Ca42

Superdeformed and Triaxial States in Ca 42

Shape parameters of a weakly deformed ground-state band and highly deformed slightly triaxial sideband in ^{42}Ca were determined from E2 matrix elements measured in the first low-energy Coulomb excitation experiment performed with AGATA. The picture of two coexisting structures is well reproduced by new state-of-the-art large-scale shell model and beyond-mean-field calculations. Experimental evidence for superdeformation of the band built on 0_{2}^{+} has been obtained and the role of triaxiality in the A∼40 mass region is discussed. Furthermore, the potential of Coulomb excitation as a tool to study superdeformation has been demonstrated for the first time

The adaptation of emotional autonomy scale into Turkish and examination of emotional autonomy an non-clinical adolescence sample [Duygusal özerklik ölçeği’nin türkçe’ye uyarlanmasi ve klinik başvurusu olmayan ergen öğrencilerde duygusal özerkliğin incelenmesi]

Objective: The study is aimed to adapt the Emotional Autonomy Scale (EAS; Steinberg & Silverberg, 1986) to Turkish through the use of confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory, and to examine the psychometric characteristics of the scale. Material and Method: The study was done among 1,051 students (600 girls, 445 boys, 6 not identified sexuality; aged 14-20) in four high schools from different socioeconomic levels in İzmir. In the study, the Turkish form of the EAS and the Parent-Adolescent Relationship Questionnaire (PARQ) were used as data collection tools. Emotional Autonomy was measured by 20-item EAS, which included deidealization, nondependency on parents, perceives parents as people, and individuation subscales. Results: The internal consistency coefficient was 0.78 and the Guttman split-half coefficient was 0.79. The test-retest reliability by three weeks was 0.65. The analysis of items by item-response theory indicated that the six items (item 1, 2, 4, 9, 11, and 18) represented a good fit to the twoparameter model fit. The analysis of items by item response theory indicated that item 3, 8, 10, 14, 16 and 19 to be the least discriminant item, and consecutively item 7, 17 and 18 followed. The most discriminant items happened to be 6, 8, and 10. The four factor structure of the scale was tested and the Goodness of Fit Index was 0.81 through confirmatory factor analysis. The correlation coefficients between the EAS total score, and the PARQ Global Distress and Cohesion Subscales were 0.55 and -0.48 respectively. Conclusion: The analysis of items by item-response theory showed some problematic aspects of the construction of this scale. This result is due to the fact the emotional autonomy is very likely to be multidimensional in nature. Therefore, in future studies of predictors and outcomes of the emotional autonomy, multidimensionality should be taken into account. Despite some limitations, an in-depth structural analysis of the EAS in a large sample of Turkish students indicates that it is possible to give a useful interpretation to the EAS. © 2016, Nobelmedicus. All rights reserved

Personality features in patients of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis

Objective: The present investigation has been designed to assess the personality features in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS)

Salt stress induces endoplasmic reticulum stress-responsive genes in a grapevine rootstock

Grapevines, although adapted to occasional drought or salt stress, are relatively sensitive to growth- and yield-limiting salinity stress. To understand the molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and identify genes commonly regulated by both stresses in grapevine, we investigated transcript profiles in leaves of the salt-tolerant grapevine rootstock 1616C under salt- and ER-stress. Among 1643 differentially expressed transcripts at 6 h post-treatment in leaves, 29 were unique to ER stress, 378 were unique to salt stress, and 16 were common to both stresses. At 24 h post-treatment, 243 transcripts were unique to ER stress, 1150 were unique to salt stress, and 168 were common to both stresses. GO term analysis identified genes in categories including 'oxidative stress', 'protein folding', 'transmembrane transport', 'protein phosphorylation', 'lipid transport', 'proteolysis', 'photosynthesis', and 'regulation of transcription'. The expression of genes encoding transporters, transcription factors, and proteins involved in hormone biosynthesis increased in response to both ER and salt stresses. KEGG pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes for both ER and salt stress were divided into four main categories including; carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, signal transduction and lipid metabolism. Differential expression of several genes was confirmed by qRT-PCR analysis, which validated our microarray results. We identified transcripts for genes that might be involved in salt tolerance and also many genes differentially expressed under both ER and salt stresses. Our results could provide new insights into the mechanisms of salt tolerance and ER stress in plants and should be useful for genetic improvement of salt tolerance in grapevine

The effects of subchorionic hematoma on pregnancy outcome in patients with threatened abortion.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of ultrasonographically detected subchorionic hematomas on pregnancy outcomes in patients with vaginal bleeding within the first half of pregnancy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients diagnosed with threatened abortion due to painless vaginal bleeding and who were followed up in an in-patient service during the first vaginal bleeding between January 2009 and December 2010 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of subchorionic hematoma. Miscarriage rates and pregnancy outcomes of ongoing pregnancies were compared between the groups. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups regarding demographic parameters, including age, parity, previous miscarriage history, and gestational age at first vaginal bleeding. While 13 of 44 pregnancies (29.5%) with subchorionic hematoma resulted in miscarriage, 25 of 198 pregnancies (12.6%) without subchorionic hematoma resulted in miscarriage (p=.010). The gestational age at miscarriage and the duration between first vaginal bleeding and miscarriage were similar between the groups. The outcome measures of ongoing pregnancies, such as gestational week at delivery, birth weight, and delivery route, were also similar between the groups. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonographically detected subchorionic hematoma increases the risk of miscarriage in patients with vaginal bleeding and threatened abortion during the first 20 weeks of gestation. However, it does not affect the pregnancy outcome measures of ongoing pregnancies