Search for Intrinsic Excitations in 152Sm

The 685 keV excitation energy of the first excited 0+ state in 152Sm makes it an attractive candidate to explore expected two-phonon excitations at low energy. Multiple-step Coulomb excitation and inelastic neutron scattering studies of 152Sm are used to probe the E2 collectivity of excited 0+ states in this "soft" nucleus and the results are compared with model predictions. No candidates for two-phonon K=0+ quadrupole vibrational states are found. A 2+, K=2 state with strong E2 decay to the first excited K=0+ band and a probable 3+ band member are established.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication as a Rapid Communication in Physical Review

Evidence for Shape Co-existence at medium spin in 76Rb

Four previously known rotational bands in 76Rb have been extended to moderate spins using the Gammasphere and Microball gamma ray and charged particle detector arrays and the 40Ca(40Ca,3pn) reaction at a beam energy of 165 MeV. The properties of two of the negative-parity bands can only readily be interpreted in terms of the highly successful Cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky model calculations if they have the same configuration in terms of the number of g9/2 particles, but they result from different nuclear shapes (one near-oblate and the other near-prolate). These data appear to constitute a unique example of shape co-existing structures at medium spins.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physics Letters

A Map of Dielectric Heterogeneity in a Membrane Protein: the Hetero-Oligomeric Cytochrome b 6 f Complex

The cytochrome b6f complex, a member of the cytochrome bc family that mediates energy transduction in photosynthetic and respiratory membranes, is a hetero-oligomeric complex that utilizes two pairs of b-hemes in a symmetric dimer to accomplish trans-membrane electron transfer, quinone oxidation–reduction, and generation of a proton electrochemical potential. Analysis of electron storage in this pathway, utilizing simultaneous measurement of heme reduction, and of circular dichroism (CD) spectra, to assay heme–heme interactions, implies a heterogeneous distribution of the dielectric constants that mediate electrostatic interactions between the four hemes in the complex. Crystallographic information was used to determine the identity of the interacting hemes. The Soret band CD signal is dominated by excitonic interaction between the intramonomer b-hemes, bn and bp, on the electrochemically negative and positive sides of the complex. Kinetic data imply that the most probable pathway for transfer of the two electrons needed for quinone oxidation–reduction utilizes this intramonomer heme pair, contradicting the expectation based on heme redox potentials and thermodynamics, that the two higher potential hemes bn on different monomers would be preferentially reduced. Energetically preferred intramonomer electron storage of electrons on the intramonomer b-hemes is found to require heterogeneity of interheme dielectric constants. Relative to the medium separating the two higher potential hemes bn, a relatively large dielectric constant must exist between the intramonomer b-hemes, allowing a smaller electrostatic repulsion between the reduced hemes. Heterogeneity of dielectric constants is an additional structure–function parameter of membrane protein complexes

The TRIUMF nuclear structure program and TIGRESS

The isotope separator and accelerator (ISAC) facility located at the TRIUMF laboratory in Vancouver, Canada, is one of the world\u27s most advanced isotope separator on-line-type radioactive ion beam facilities. An extensive γ-ray spectroscopy programme at ISAC is centred around two major research facilities: (i) the 8π γ-ray spectrometer for β-delayed γ-ray spectroscopy experiments with the low-energy beams from ISAC-I, and (ii) the next generation TRIUMF-ISAC gamma-ray escape suppressed spectrometer (TIGRESS) for in-beam experiments with the accelerated radioactive-ion beams. An overview of these facilities and recent results from the diverse programme of nuclear structure and fundamental interaction studies they support is presented. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Gamma-Ray Production Cross Sections in Multiple Channels for Neutron Induced Reaction on 48ti for en=1 to 200 Mev

Prompt {gamma}-ray production cross sections were measured on a {sup 48}Ti sample for incident neutron energies from 1 MeV to 200 MeV. Partial {gamma}-ray cross sections for transitions in {sup 45-48}Ti, {sup 45-48}Sc, and {sup 43-45}Ca were determined. The observation of about 130 transitions from 11 different isotopes in the present work provides a demanding test of reaction model calculations, and is the first study in this mass region to extract partial {gamma}-ray cross sections for many different reaction channels over a wide range of incident neutron energies. The neutrons were produced by the Los Alamos National Laboratory spallation neutron source located at the LANSCE/WNR facility. The prompt-reaction {gamma} rays were detected with the large-scale Compton-suppressed GErmanium Array for Neutron Induced Excitations (GEANIE). Event neutron energies were determined by the time-of-flight technique. The {gamma}-ray excitation functions were converted to partial {gamma}-ray cross sections and then compared with model calculations using the enhanced GNASH reaction code. Compound nuclear, pre-equilibrium emission and direct reaction mechanisms are included. Overall the model calculations of the partial {gamma}-ray cross sections are in good agreement with measured values

Implementing a multisector public-private partnership to improve urban hypertension management in low-and middle- income countries

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease presents an increasing health burden to low- and middle-income countries. Although ample therapeutic options and care improvement frameworks exist to address its prime risk factor, hypertension, blood pressure control rates remain poor. We describe the results of an effectiveness study of a multisector urban population health initiative that targets hypertension in a real-world implementation setting in cities across three continents. The initiative followed the "CARDIO4Cities" approach (quality of Care, early Access, policy Reform, Data and digital technology, Intersectoral collaboration, and local Ownership). METHOD: The approach was applied in Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, Dakar in Senegal, and Sao Paulo in Brazil. In each city, a portfolio of evidence-based practices was implemented, tailored to local priorities and available data. Outcomes were measured by extracting hypertension diagnosis, treatment and control rates from primary health records. Data from 18,997 patients with hypertension in primary health facilities were analyzed. RESULTS: Over one to two years of implementation, blood pressure control rates among enrolled patients receiving medication tripled in Sao Paulo (from 12.3% to 31.2%) and Dakar (from 6.7% to 19.4%) and increased six-fold in Ulaanbaatar (from 3.1% to 19.7%). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides first evidence that a multisectoral population health approach to implement known best-practices, supported by data and digital technologies, and relying on local buy-in and ownership, can improve hypertension control in high-burden urban primary care settings in low-and middle-income countries

Spin distribution in neutron induced preequilibrium reactions

The preequilibrium reaction mechanism makes an important contribution to neutron-induced reactions above E{sub n} {approx} 10 MeV. The preequilibrium process has been studied exclusively via the characteristic high energy neutrons produced at bombarding energies greater than 10 MeV. They are expanding the study of the preequilibrium reaction mechanism through {gamma}-ray spectroscopy. Cross-section measurements were made of prompt {gamma}-ray production as a function of incident neutron energy (E{sub n} = 1 to 250 MeV) on a {sup 48}Ti sample. Energetic neutrons were delivered by the Los Alamos National Laboratory spallation neutron source located at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center facility. The prompt-reaction {gamma} rays were detected with the large-scale Compton-suppressed Germanium Array for Neutron Induced Excitations (GEANIE). Neutron energies were determined by the time-of-flight technique. The {gamma}-ray excitation functions were converted to partial {gamma}-ray cross sections taking into account the dead-time correction, target thickness, detector efficiency and neutron flux (monitored with an in-line fission chamber). Residual state population was predicted using the GNASH reaction code, enhanced for preequilibrium. The preequilibrium reaction spin distribution was calculated using the quantum mechanical theory of Feshback, Kerman, and Koonin (FKK). The multistep direct part of the FKK theory was calculated for a one-step process. The FKK preequilibrium spin distribution was incorporated into the GNASH calculations and the {gamma}-ray production cross sections were calculated and compared with experimental data. The difference in the partial {gamma}-ray cross sections using spin distributions with and without preequilibrium effects is significant