How important is the Family? : Alpha nuclear potentials and p-process nucleosynthesis

Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike LicenceIn this work we present the results from the analysis of the experimentally measured angular distributions of the reaction 106Cd(α , α )106 Cd at several different energies around the Coulomb barrier. The difficulties that arise in the study of 106Cd-α -nuclear potential and the so called Family Problem are addressed in this work

Erratum to: Methods for evaluating medical tests and biomarkers

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s41512-016-0001-y.]

Erratum to: Methods for evaluating medical tests and biomarkers

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s41512-016-0001-y.]

Evidence synthesis to inform model-based cost-effectiveness evaluations of diagnostic tests: a methodological systematic review of health technology assessments

Background: Evaluations of diagnostic tests are challenging because of the indirect nature of their impact on patient outcomes. Model-based health economic evaluations of tests allow different types of evidence from various sources to be incorporated and enable cost-effectiveness estimates to be made beyond the duration of available study data. To parameterize a health-economic model fully, all the ways a test impacts on patient health must be quantified, including but not limited to diagnostic test accuracy. Methods: We assessed all UK NIHR HTA reports published May 2009-July 2015. Reports were included if they evaluated a diagnostic test, included a model-based health economic evaluation and included a systematic review and meta-analysis of test accuracy. From each eligible report we extracted information on the following topics: 1) what evidence aside from test accuracy was searched for and synthesised, 2) which methods were used to synthesise test accuracy evidence and how did the results inform the economic model, 3) how/whether threshold effects were explored, 4) how the potential dependency between multiple tests in a pathway was accounted for, and 5) for evaluations of tests targeted at the primary care setting, how evidence from differing healthcare settings was incorporated. Results: The bivariate or HSROC model was implemented in 20/22 reports that met all inclusion criteria. Test accuracy data for health economic modelling was obtained from meta-analyses completely in four reports, partially in fourteen reports and not at all in four reports. Only 2/7 reports that used a quantitative test gave clear threshold recommendations. All 22 reports explored the effect of uncertainty in accuracy parameters but most of those that used multiple tests did not allow for dependence between test results. 7/22 tests were potentially suitable for primary care but the majority found limited evidence on test accuracy in primary care settings. Conclusions: The uptake of appropriate meta-analysis methods for synthesising evidence on diagnostic test accuracy in UK NIHR HTAs has improved in recent years. Future research should focus on other evidence requirements for cost-effectiveness assessment, threshold effects for quantitative tests and the impact of multiple diagnostic tests

Investigation of proton-induced reactions on Germanium isotopes

The cross sections of the Ge-70(p,gamma)As-71 and Ge-76(p, n)As-76 reactions have been measured in the energy range relevant for the astrophysical p-process (1.6-4.4 MeV). The proton beam was provided by the Van de Graaff and cyclotron accelerators of ATOMKI. The cross section was determined with the activation method by measuring the yield of the emitted gamma-radiation following the beta-decay of the reaction products. Experimental details and preliminary results are presented

Complex vasoactivity of liraglutide. Contribution of three gasotransmitters

Background: Incretine hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) causes dose-dependent relaxation of the thoracic aorta of rats and other arteries via nitric oxide (NO), cAMP and ATP-sensitive potassium channels, however, through a mechanism not thoroughly described. Hereby we aimed to determine the mediators involved in the vasoactive effect of liraglutide. Methods: Isolated rat aortic rings and segments of the femoral artery were mounted in a wire myograph to study the vasoactive effect of liraglutide. Vessels were preincubated either with inhibitors of gasotransmitter-, prostaglandin- or reactive oxygen species-formation, or with inhibitors of protein kinases, potassium channels or the Na(+)/Ca(2+)-exchanger. Results: According to our findings, liraglutide activates endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells leading to the production of NO, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide, superoxide anion, and hydrogen peroxide. Increased production of such relaxing factors promotes the activation of protein kinase– A and –G, resulting in the activation of potassium channels (ATP-sensitive-, voltage-gated-, large-conductance-calcium activated), which profoundly contributes to the activation of the Na(+)/Ca(2+)-exchanger, thereby leading to calcium efflux and smooth muscle relaxation and vasorelaxation. Conclusions: We reveal the contribution of all gasotransmitters in the vasorelaxation induced by liraglutide. We provide ex vivo evidence that liraglutide is capable of causing vasodilatation in the central and peripherial vessels, thereby supporting the clinical observation that it lowers blood pressure

Activation method combined with characteristic X-ray counting : A possibility to measure (alpha, gamma) cross sections on heavy p-nuclei

For an improved modeling of the astrophysical nucleosynthesis of p-nuclei, low energy cross section data of alpha-induced reactions on heavy isotopes are needed. Technical difficulties hamper the experimental determination of these cross sections, therefore the relevant experimental data are almost completely missing. Here we present a new method for the cross section measurements, the activation technique based on the detection of characteristic X-ray radiation. The feasibility of the method is illustrated through the measurement of the Tm-169(alpha, gamma)Lu-173 and Tm-169(alpha, n)Lu-172 reaction cross sections. Despite the relatively long half-life of the reaction products (T-1/2 = 500 and 6.7 days, respectively) it was possible to measure the cross section of the Tm-169(alpha, gamma)Lu-173 reaction between E-c.m. = 13.16 and 17.08 MeV. The Tm-169(alpha, n)Lu-172 reaction cross section was derived from close above the threshold up to E-c.m.. = 17.08 MeV. Details of the new method and the experimental results are presented. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Astrophysical S-factor for alpha-Capture of (113)In in the p-Process Energy Range

The cross sections of (113)In(alpha, gamma)(117)Sb and (113)In(alpha,n)(116)Sb reactions have been measured using the activation method. The experiments were carried out at the ATOMKI cyclotron accelerator in the center of mass energy range from 8.7 to 13.7 MeV. Astrophysical S-factors have been calculated, and preliminary results are compared With statistical model predictions

Astrophysical S-factor for α-capture of ¹¹³In in the p-process energy range

The cross sections of In-113(alpha, gamma)Sb-117 and In-113(alpha,n)Sb-116 reactions have been measured using the activation method. The experiments were carried out at the ATOMKI cyclotron accelerator in the center of mass energy range from 8.7 to 13.7 MeV. Astrophysical S-factors have been calculated, and preliminary results are compared With statistical model predictions

Alpha-induced reaction cross section measurements on Eu-151 for the astrophysical gamma-process

In order to extend the experimental database relevant for the astrophysical gamma-process towards the unexplored heavier mass region, the cross sections of the Eu-151(alpha, gamma)Tb-155 and Eu-151 (alpha, n)Tb-154 reactions have been measured at low energies between 12 and 17 MeV using the activation technique. The results are compared with the predictions of statistical model calculations and it is found that the calculations overestimate the cross sections by about a factor of 2. A sensitivity analysis shows that this discrepancy is caused by the inadequate description of the alpha+nucleus channel. A factor of 2 reduction of the reaction rate of Eu-151(alpha, gamma)Tb-155 in gamma-process network calculations with respect to theoretical rates using the optical potential by McFadden and Satchler (1966 Nucl. Phys. 84 177) is recommended