Evolution of deformation in neutron-rich Ba isotopes up to A=150

The occurrence of octupolar shapes in the Ba isotopic chain was recently established experimentally up to N = 90. To further extend the systematics, the evolution of shapes in the most neutron-rich members of the Z = 56 isotopic chain accessible at present, Ba-148,Ba-150, has been studied via beta decay at the ISOLDE Decay Station. This paper reports on the first measurement of the positive-and negative-parity low-spin excited states of 150Ba and presents an extension of the beta-decay scheme of Cs-148. Employing the fast timing technique, half-lives for the 2(1)(+) level in both nuclei have been determined, resulting in T-1/2 = 1.51(1) ns for Ba-148 and T-1/2 = 3.4(2) ns for Ba-150. The systematics of low-spin states, together with the experimental determination of the B(E2 : 2(+) -> 0(+)) transition probabilities, indicate an increasing collectivity in Ba148-150, towards prolate deformed shapes. The experimental data are compared to symmetry conserving configuration mixing (SCCM) calculations, confirming an evolution of increasingly quadrupole deformed shapes with a definite octupolar character.Peer reviewe

Coulomb dissociation of O-16 into He-4 and C-12

We measured the Coulomb dissociation of O-16 into He-4 and C-12 within the FAIR Phase-0 program at GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung Darmstadt, Germany. From this we will extract the photon dissociation cross section O-16(alpha,gamma)C-12, which is the time reversed reaction to C-12(alpha,gamma)O-16. With this indirect method, we aim to improve on the accuracy of the experimental data at lower energies than measured so far. The expected low cross section for the Coulomb dissociation reaction and close magnetic rigidity of beam and fragments demand a high precision measurement. Hence, new detector systems were built and radical changes to the (RB)-B-3 setup were necessary to cope with the high-intensity O-16 beam. All tracking detectors were designed to let the unreacted O-16 ions pass, while detecting the C-12 and He-4

Effects of Co-Products and Breed of Sire on the Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Rates of Ultrasound Backfat and Marbling Deposition in Feedlot Cattle

Recently, high prices have driven producers to replace corn partially or totally with more affordable ingredients. A total of 1,256 DNA-validated progeny from Angus (n = 241), Simmental (n = 599), Simmental × Angus (SA; n = 296), and 75% Simmental (75S; n = 120) sires were used to evaluate the effects of feedlot nutrition and sire breed on the performance, carcass characteristics, and rates of ultrasound backfat and marbling deposition in feedlot cattle. Diets included corn or a corn co-product: dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), fresh wet distillers grains, wet corn gluten feed, stored wet distillers grains, or dried corn gluten feed. Dry matter intake for steers fed the co-product diets increased by approximately 8% compared with that of steers fed the high-corn diet. Steers fed the corn co-product diets had greater (P \u3c 0.05) ADG. Steers fed DDGS, wet distillers grains, and wet or dried corn gluten feed deposited approximately 0.02 mm/d more (P \u3c 0.05) backfat than steers fed the high-corn diet. The greatest (P \u3c 0.05) rate of intramuscular fat deposition was in steers fed 40% DDGS. Steers sired by Angus bulls had greater (P \u3c 0.05) DMI than the progeny of Simmental and SA sires. Backfat was greater (P \u3c 0.05) in the progeny of Angus bulls than in the progeny of Simmental, SA, and 75S sires. Steers sired by Angus bulls had the greatest (P \u3c 0.05) marbling score. The greatest rate (P \u3c 0.05) of backfat deposition was observed in the progeny of Angus sires. Steers sired by Angus and SA bulls had the greatest rates (P \u3c 0.05) of marbling deposition. The progeny of Simmental, Angus, and 75S were similar (P \u3e 0.05) in the amount of marbling deposited per centimeter of backfat (184 marbling score units/cm of backfat). This study indicates that co-product diets had less effect on performance and carcass quality than did breed of sire