Breakup reaction models for two- and three-cluster projectiles

Breakup reactions are one of the main tools for the study of exotic nuclei, and in particular of their continuum. In order to get valuable information from measurements, a precise reaction model coupled to a fair description of the projectile is needed. We assume that the projectile initially possesses a cluster structure, which is revealed by the dissociation process. This structure is described by a few-body Hamiltonian involving effective forces between the clusters. Within this assumption, we review various reaction models. In semiclassical models, the projectile-target relative motion is described by a classical trajectory and the reaction properties are deduced by solving a time-dependent Schroedinger equation. We then describe the principle and variants of the eikonal approximation: the dynamical eikonal approximation, the standard eikonal approximation, and a corrected version avoiding Coulomb divergence. Finally, we present the continuum-discretized coupled-channel method (CDCC), in which the Schroedinger equation is solved with the projectile continuum approximated by square-integrable states. These models are first illustrated by applications to two-cluster projectiles for studies of nuclei far from stability and of reactions useful in astrophysics. Recent extensions to three-cluster projectiles, like two-neutron halo nuclei, are then presented and discussed. We end this review with some views of the future in breakup-reaction theory.Comment: Will constitute a chapter of "Clusters in Nuclei - Vol.2." to be published as a volume of "Lecture Notes in Physics" (Springer

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Crescimento e desenvolvimento da planta daninha capim-camalote Growth and development of the weed itchgrass (Rottboelia exaltata L.f.)

O capim-camalote (Rottboelia exaltata L.f.) é uma planta daninha com rápida disseminação nas áreas canavieiras do Brasil, causando significativas perdas de produtividade na cultura. Assim, esta pesquisa teve por objetivo avaliar o crescimento, o desenvolvimento vegetativo e a capacidade reprodutiva do capim-camalote, como mecanismo de melhoria do manejo a ser adotado. O experimento foi desenvolvido em casa de vegetação da ESALQ/USP, entre julho e outubro de 2004, quando foram realizadas 14 avaliações periódicas de crescimento, determinando-se: massa fresca e seca (total, parte aérea e raízes), área foliar e fenologia das plantas. Realizou-se a contagem do número de rácemos florais de 16 plantas e do número de sementes de 100 rácemos após florescimento. Pôde-se observar um rápido crescimento inicial das plantas, de tal forma que o início do florescimento ocorreu aos 49 dias após a semeadura. No fim do ciclo, verificaram-se nas plantas valores próximos a 120 g, 25 g e 1.600 cm² de massa fresca total, massa seca total e área foliar, respectivamente. Na ocasião das contagens, as plantas haviam emitido, em média, o total de 163 rácemos com 12 sementes cada uma, o que corresponde a mais de 2.000 sementes por planta. Pelos resultados alcançados verifica-se elevada capacidade de crescimento e habilidade reprodutiva do capim-camalote, explicando as razões que fazem dessa planta daninha um novo problema em potencial para a agricultura brasileira.<br>Itchgrass (Rottboelia exaltata L.f.) is a weed that has presented fast dissemination in sugar-cane fields in Brazil, causing significant yield losses to the crop. Therefore, this research had the objective of evaluating the growth, vegetative development and reproductive capacity of the species, as a mechanism of improving the management to be adopted. The experiment was conducted in the greenhouse of ESALQ/USP, Piracicaba, State of São Paulo, Brazil, during the months of July to October 2004; when 14 periodic evaluations of growth were done, for determination of: fresh and dry weight (total, shoot and roots), leaf area and phenology. After flowering, the number of racemes of 16 plants, and the number of seeds of 100 racemes were evaluated. It was observed a fast initial growth of the plants, once the flowering occurred 49 days after seeding. About the end of the cycle, plants showed values near than 120 g, 25 g and 1600 cm² of total fresh weight, total dry weight and leaf area, respectively. On average, plants emitted a total of 163 racemes with 12 seeds each, that corresponds to more than 2,000 seeds per plant. These results showed the high growth capacity and reproductive hability of R. exaltata, explaining the reasons that make this weed a new potential problem for Brazilian agriculture

Two new species of the side necked turtle genus, Bairdemys (Pleurodira, Podocnemididae), from the Miocene of Venezuela

The side-necked turtle genusBairdemys (Podocnemididae,Shweboemys Group) from the Miocene of Venezuela and Puerto Rico is revised, and four species are diagnosed on the basis of skull characters; two are de-scribed as new.B. hartsteini Gaffney & Wood, 2002, from the Cibao Formation of Puerto Rico, is characterized by a higher skull, with a straight labial ridge and a premaxillary notch;B. venezuelensis (Wood & Díaz de Gamero 1971), from the Urumaco Formation of Venezuela, is characterized by the absence of a premaxillary notch, a high anterior triturating surface convexity, a deep posterior triturating surface concavity, and a short pterygoid mid-line contact;B. sanchezi, new species, from the Urumaco Formation of Venezuela, is characterized by a very low anterior triturating surface convexity and shallow posterior triturating surface concavity, a premaxillary notch, small size, and extensive temporal and cheek emargination;B. winklerae, new species, from the Urumaco Formation of Venezuela, is characterized by an elongate, narrow snout, with a concave labial ridge, and no premaxillary notch. Based on osteological and bone histological results, an additional strongly crushed skull and associated cara-pace fragment of a previously undetermined podocnemidid from the Urumaco Formation of Venezuela can be further referred toPodocnemis or a closely related taxon — again underscoring the importance of this formation as one of the major fossil lagerstätten of turtles in South America

Common variants in Alzheimer’s disease and risk stratification by polygenic risk scores

Genetic discoveries of Alzheimer’s disease are the drivers of our understanding, and together with polygenetic risk stratification can contribute towards planning of feasible and efficient preventive and curative clinical trials. We first perform a large genetic association study by merging all available case-control datasets and by-proxy study results (discovery n = 409,435 and validation size n = 58,190). Here, we add six variants associated with Alzheimer’s disease risk (near APP, CHRNE, PRKD3/NDUFAF7, PLCG2 and two exonic variants in the SHARPIN gene). Assessment of the polygenic risk score and stratifying by APOE reveal a 4 to 5.5 years difference in median age at onset of Alzheimer’s disease patients in APOE ɛ4 carriers. Because of this study, the underlying mechanisms of APP can be studied to refine the amyloid cascade and the polygenic risk score provides a tool to select individuals at high risk of Alzheimer’s disease