Fusion cross-section in the 4,6He + 64Zn collisions around the Coulomb barrier

The halo structure is expected to influence the reaction mechanisms in nuclear collisions. The aim of the experiment discussed in the present paper is to compare the fusion excitation functions for the systems 6He + 64Zn and 4He + 64Zn, in order to investigate the effects of the 6He two-neutron halo structure on the fusion reaction mechanism at energies around the Coulomb barrier. In particular, new fusion cross-sections for the 4He + 64Zn systems at sub-barrier energies were measured to cover the same energy region of our previous measurements for 6He + 64Zn. The fusion cross-section was measured by using an activation technique. We have observed an enhancement of the fusion cross-section in the reaction induced by 6He when compared to the one induced by 4He on the same 64Zn target

Sub-barrier radioactive ion beam investigations using a new methodology and analysis for the stacked target technique

For low energy reaction studies involving radioactive ion beams, the experimental reaction yields are generally small due to the low intensity of the beams. For this reason, the stacked target technique has been often used to measure excitation functions. This technique offers considerable advantages since the reaction cross-section at several energies can be simultaneously measured. In a further effort to increase yields, thick targets are also employed. The main disadvantage of the method is the degradation of the beam quality as it passes through the stack due to the statistical nature of energy loss processes and any nonuniformity of the stacked targets. This degradation can lead to ambiguities of associating effective beam energies to reaction product yields for the targets within the stack and, as a consequence, to an error in the determination of the excitation function for the reaction under study. A thorough investigation of these ambiguities is reported, and a best practice procedure of analyzing data obtained using the stacked target technique with radioactive ion beams is recommended. Using this procedure a re-evaluation is reported of some previously published sub-barrier fusion data in order to demonstrate the possibility of misinterpretations of derived excitation functions. In addition, this best practice procedure has been used to evaluate, from a new data set, the sub-barrier fusion excitation function for the reaction Li6+Sn120

Phenotypic and genotypic study on antibiotic resistance and pathogenic factors of staphylococcus aureus isolates from small ruminant mastitis milk in south of italy (Sicily)

Staphyloccoccus aureus is the major cause of mastitis in small ruminants in the Mediterranean farms causing severe losses to dairy industry. Antibiotic treatment has been the most common approach to control these infections. Aim of this study was to investigate antimicrobial resistance (AMR), virulence factors and biofilm-related genes of 84 Sicilian strains of S. aureus isolated from sheep and goats milk during two different periods δT1 (2006-2009) and δT2 (2013-2015). Kirby Bauer method and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) were utilized to monitor AMR and related genes (mecA, tetK, tetM, ermA, ermC). Moreover, toxin genes (tsst-1, sea-see, seg-sej, and sep) and biofilm genes (bap, ica, sasC) were studied. Twenty-six isolates (30.9%) showed multidrug resistance. The two groups showed similar results with exception for higher values of resistance for tilmicosin and lower for sulfamethoxazole and vancomycin of the second group. MecA gene was detected in one isolate. Tetracycline resistance was higher than 20%, with an increase in δT2 group. Toxin genes were found in 5 isolates (5.9%), belonging of δT2 group, while 57 of isolates (67.8%) showed biofilm related genes. The high presence of multi-resistant isolates suggests the need of more responsible use of antibiotic therapy for the control of these infections

GENOTIPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF SALMONELLA INFANTIS STRAINS ISOLATED IN MARCHE REGION

In this study thirty-eight strains of Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis isolated in Marche Region from human cases, food, animal and environmental samples were analyzed by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). All strains were typed by the DNA macro-restriction patterns obtained following PFGE of XbaI digests, while antimicrobial susceptibility testing of isolates was performed by the standardized disk diffusion method. The analysis of PFGE patterns by Bionumerics software demonstrated a strong similarity of S. infantis XbaI profiles, while the antimicrobial susceptibly testing showed less homogeneity

Thickness and uniformity characterization of thin targets for intense ion beam experiments

The NUMEN Experiment aims to get information on the Nuclear Matrix Elements of the Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay, by measuring heavyion induced Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions cross sections. A good energy resolution is needed to clearly distinguish energy states of DCE products. To measure the energy of reaction products with the required resolution, the target must be thin and uniform to minimise dispersion and straggling effects on the ejectile energy. Few hundreds of nanometers of the target isotope are deposited on a Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite substrate a few micrometers thick. The results of the characterisation of the first target prototypes of tin and tellurium are presented. The Scanning Electron Microscopy was used to qualitatively analyse the samples surface. A setup to study Alpha Particle Transmission has been assembled to measure thickness and uniformity of the targets; the thickness results have been verified by the Rutherford Backscattering measurements. To evaluate the effects of the thickness on the resolution of the DCE products energy, a Monte Carlo code has been implemented, using the measured thickness and uniformity as input data for the simulation

Tests of a cooling system for thin targets submitted to intense ion beams for the numen experiment

The NUMEN experiment, hosted at LNS (Catania, Italy), aims to determine the Nuclear Matrix Elements (NMEs) involved in 0β β decay via heavy-ion induced Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions. High intensity beams of about 50 μA and of energies ranging from 15 to 60 MeV/u are necessary, due to the low DCE cross sections and the use of very thin targets (several hundreds of nm) needed to reach the required energy resolution. These intense beams produce a considerable amount of heat inside the target, which can be dissipated by depositing the targets on a highly thermally conductive substrate, HOPG (Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite), and coupling it with a suitable designed target-cooler system. The heat transfer from the beam spot to the cold region has been studied by solving numerically the heat equation to determine the evolution in space and time of the temperature inside the target. According to calculations, the temperatures of most of the target isotopes remain under the melting points. Experimental tests with a laser were initiated to validate the whole cooling system and the calculations

Evaluation of target non-uniformity and dispersion effects on energy measurement resolution in NUMEN experiment

In the NUMEN Experiment, Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions will be studied to get very precise measurements of their cross sections and final state levels. The interest for these reactions lies in the possibility for some nuclides to have DCE with initial and final states identical to those of the Neutrinoless Double β-Decay. To reach a good precision in the energy measurements, high statistics is needed and severe constraints about the target thickness must be satisfied. A 50 μA intense ion beam will provide the desired statistics, while posing the problem of dissipating the massive heat generated in the target. It is therefore necessary to design a suitable cooling system, which must affect the particles' energy as little as possible. Said energy is already influenced by the current setup. The Superconducting Cyclotron (SC) and the MAGNEX Spectrometer introduce an error on the particles' energy by 1/1000th (FWHM value) of its average energy. In the target, the main sources of error are straggling of projectiles and reaction products, and the dispersion effect. Both closely depend on the target thickness, which must be of the order of few hundred nanometres. In addition, the two effects are worsened if the target thickness is not uniform. The solution to these problems has been found by backing the target isotope with relatively thin substrate of Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG). Its thermodynamic properties fit the cooling requirements and can be as thin as 450 μg cm-2. The further straggling suffered by the ejectiles is tolerable, falling within the resolution requirements. Samples are deposited by using Electron Beam Evaporation: results obtained for Sn and Te are checked by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). A quantitative evaluation of the samples' thickness has been performed by Alpha-Particle Transmission (APT) and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) measurements. A Monte Carlo code has been implemented to estimate the ejectiles energy distribution using the experimental measurements as input. Results from characterization and simulations help in optimizing the target thickness and the energy resolution of reaction products

Elastic scattering of Beryllium isotopes near the Coulomb barrier

In this contribution, results of experiments performed with the three Beryllium isotopes 9,10,11Be on a medium mass 64Zn target, at a center of mass energy of≈1.4 the Coulomb barrier, will be discussed. Elastic scattering angular distributions have been measured for the 9,10Be reactions. In the 11Be case the quasielastic scattering angular distribution was obtained. In the halo nucleus case, the angular distribution exhibit a non-Fresnel-type pattern with a strong damping of the Coulombnuclear interference peak. Moreover, it is found that the total reaction cross-section for the halo nucleus induced collision is more than double the ones extracted in the collisions induced by the non-halo Beryllium isotopes. A large contribution to the total-reaction cross-section in the 11Be case could be attributed to transfer and/or break-up events

Elastic scattering induced by halo nuclei

In this paper an overview of different results concerning elastic scattering in collisions induced by halo nuclei will be given. Due to the very low binding energy of such nuclei, coupling effects with the break-up channel have been found to be very important. Moreover, due to the long tail of the density distribution of halo nuclei and the presence of a large low-lying dipole strength distribution, long range absorption affects the elastic scattering angular distribution. In the paper the main effects responsible for the observed features in the scattering cross-section will be discussed