Isospin Dependence in the Odd-Even Staggering of Nuclear Binding Energies

The FRS-ESR facility at GSI provides unique conditions for precision measurements of large areas on the nuclear mass surface in a single experiment. Values for masses of 604 neutron-deficient nuclides (30<=Z<=92) were obtained with a typical uncertainty of 30 microunits. The masses of 114 nuclides were determined for the first time. The odd-even staggering (OES) of nuclear masses was systematically investigated for isotopic chains between the proton shell closures at Z=50 and Z=82. The results were compared with predictions of modern nuclear models. The comparison revealed that the measured trend of OES is not reproduced by the theories fitted to masses only. The spectral pairing gaps extracted from models adjusted to both masses, and density related observables of nuclei agree better with the experimental data.Comment: Physics Review Letters 95 (2005) 042501 http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v95/e04250

Present and Future Experiments with Stored Exotic Nuclei at Relativistic Energies

Recent progress is presented from experiments on masses and lifetimes of bare and few-electron exotic nuclei at GSI.Comment: Proceedings of International Conference on "Frontiers in Nuclear Structure, Astrophysics and Reactions", Kos, Greece, September 12-17, 200

Thermodynamics of the Atomic Distribution in Pt3Pd2, Pt2Pd3 and their Corresponding (111) Surfaces

In this study, we have developed solid-state models of platinum and palladium bimetallic catalysts, Pt3Pd2 and Pt2Pd3, which are rapidly thermally annealed at 800 °C. These models were constructed by determining all the unique atomic configurations in a 2x2x1 supercell, using the program Site-Occupation Disorder (SOD), and optimized with the General Utility Lattice Program (GULP) using Sutton-Chen interatomic potentials. Each catalyst had 101 unique bulk models that were developed into surface models, which were constructed using the two-region surface technique before the surface energies were determined. The planes and compositions with lowest surface energies were chosen as the representative models for the surface structure of the bimetallic catalysts. These representative models will now be used in a computational study of the HyS process for the production of hydrogen

The Oslo Health Study: Is bone mineral density higher in affluent areas?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Based on previously reported differences in fracture incidence in the socioeconomic less affluent Oslo East compared to the more privileged West, our aim was to study bone mineral density (BMD) in the same socioeconomic areas in Oslo. We also wanted to study whether possible associations were explained by socio-demographic factors, level of education or lifestyle factors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Distal forearm BMD was measured in random samples of the participants in The Oslo Health Study by single energy x-ray absorptiometry (SXA). 578 men and 702 women born in Norway in the age-groups 40/45, 60 and 75 years were included in the analyses. Socioeconomic regions, based on a social index dividing Oslo in two regions – East and West, were used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Age-adjusted mean BMD in women living in the less affluent Eastern region was 0.405 g/cm²and significantly lower than in West where BMD was 0.419 g/cm². Similarly, the odds ratio of low BMD (Z-score ≤ -1) was 1.87 (95% CI: 1.22–2.87) in women in Oslo East compared to West. The same tendency, although not statistically significant, was also present in men. Multivariate analysis adjusted for education, marital status, body mass index, physical inactivity, use of alcohol and smoking, and in women also use of post-menopausal hormone therapy and early onset of menopause, did hardly change the association. Additional adjustments for employment status, disability pension and physical activity at work for those below the age of retirement, gave similar results.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We found differences in BMD in women between different socioeconomic regions in Oslo that correspond to previously found differences in fracture rates. The association in men was not statistically significant. The differences were not explained by socio-demographic factors, level of education or lifestyle factors.</p

Prevalent vertebral deformity predicts incident hip though not distal forearm fracture: Results from the European prospective osteoporosis study

The presence of a vertebral deformity increases the risk of subsequent spinal deformities. The aim of this analysis was to determine whether the presence of vertebral deformity predicts incident hip and other limb fractures. Six thousand three hundred and forty-four men and 6788 women aged 50 years and over were recruited from population registers in 31 European centers and followed prospectively for a median of 3 years. All subjects had radiographs performed at baseline and the presence of vertebral deformity was assessed using established morphometric methods. Incident limb fractures which occurred during the follow- up period were ascertained by annual postal questionnaire and confirmed by radiographs, review of medical records and personal interview. During a total of 40 348 person-years of follow-up, 138 men and 391 women sustained a limb fracture. Amongst the women, after adjustment for age, prevalent vertebral deformity was a strong predictor of incident hip fracture, (rate ratio (RR) = 4.5; 95% CI 2.1-9.4) and a weak predictor of 'other' limb fractures (RR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.1-2.4), though not distal forearm fracture (RR = 1.0; 95% CI 0.6-1.6). The predictive risk increased with increasing number of prevalent deformities, particularly for subsequent hip fracture: for two or more deformities, RR = 7.2 (95% CI 3.0-17.3). Amongst men, vertebral deformity was not associated with an increased risk of incident limb fracture though there was a nonsignificant trend toward an increased risk of hip fracture with increasing number of deformities. In summary, prevalent radiographic vertebral deformities in women are a strong predictor of hip fracture, and to a lesser extent humerus and 'other' limb fractures; however, they do not predict distal forearm fractures

Number and type of vertebral deformities: Epidemiological characteristics and relation to back pain and height loss

Vertebral deformity is the classical hallmark of osteoporosis. Three types of vertebral deformity are usually described: crush, wedge and biconcave deformities. However, there are few data concerning the descriptive epidemiology of the individual deformity types, and differences in their underlying pathogenesis and clinical impact remain uncertain. The aim of this study was to compare the epidemiological characteristics of the three types of vertebral deformity and to explore the relationships of the number and type of deformity with back pain and height loss. Age-stratified random samples of men and women aged 50 years and over were recruited from population registers in 30 European centers (EVOS study). Subjects were invited to attend for an interviewer-administered questionnaire and lateral spinal radiographs. The presence, type and number of vertebral deformities was determined using the McCloskey–Kanis algorithm. A total of13 562 men and women were studied; mean age in men was 64.4 years (SD 8.5), and in women 63.8 years (SD 8.5 years). There was evidence of variation in the occurrence of wedge, crush and biconcave deformity by age, sex and vertebral level. Wedge deformities were the most frequent deformity and tended to cluster at the mid-thoracic and thoraco-lumbar regions of the spine in both men and women. Similar predilection for these sites was observed for crush and to a lesser extent biconcave deformities though this was much less marked than for wedge deformities. In both sexes the frequency of biconcave deformities was higher in the lumbar than the thoracic spine and unlike the other deformity types it did not decline in frequency at lower lumbar vertebral levels. The prevalence of all three types of vertebral deformity increased with age and was more marked in women. There were no important differences in the effect of age on the different deformity types. All types of deformity were associated with height loss, which was greatest for individuals with crush deformity. Back pain was also associated with all types of deformity.Overall, these results do not suggest important differences in pathophysiology between the three deformity types. Biomechanical factors appear to be important in determining their distribution within the spine. All deformity types are linked with adverse outcomes, though crush deformities showed greater height loss than the other deformity types.21320682,677Q2SCI

Does location of vertebral deformity within the spine influence back pain and disability?

3713682,444Q2SCI

Lower prevalence of hip fractures in foreign-born individuals than in Swedish-born individuals during the period 1987-1999

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This is the first longitudinal study with a 22-year follow-up, based on a national and complete sample, to determine whether the prevalence of hip fracture and the age when it occurs are influenced by migration and by being foreign-born. Cultural background and environmental factors such as UV-radiation and lifestyle during childhood and adolescence may influence the risk of a hip fracture event later in life. Differences in prevalence might occur between the indigenous population and those who have migrated to a country.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was based on national population data. The study population consisted of 321,407 Swedish-born and 307,174 foreign-born persons living in Sweden during the period 1987-1999.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Foreign-born individuals had a reduced risk of hip fracture, with odds ratios (ORs) of 0.47-0.77 for men and 0.42-0.88 for women. Foreign-born women had the hip fracture event at a higher age on average, but a longer time spent in Sweden was associated with a small but significant increase in risk.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We found that there was a reduced risk of hip fracture in all foreign-born individuals, and that the hip fracture event generally happened at a higher age in foreign-born women. Migration must therefore be considered in relation to the prevalence and risk of hip fracture. Migration can therefore have a positive effect on one aspect of the health of a population, and can influence and lower the total cost of healthcare due to reduced risk and prevalence of hip fracture.</p