Interaction Strengths for the Fock-Space Formulation of the Nuclear Pairing Problem

A realistic nuclear mean-field hamiltonian with pairing has been diagonalized using Fock space representation that allows for nearly exact treatment of the problem. Calculations were performed for all the even-even nuclei with Z in (20, 100), whose pairing gaps were possible to extract out of the experimental masses. The optimal values of the pairing strength constants for the protons and neutrons have been found.Comment: Seminar given at XXXVII School of Physics in Zakopane, Poland. Paper in LaTeX, 4 pages including one figure, submitted to Acta Physica Polonica

Sequential fissions of heavy nuclear systems

In Xe+Sn central collisions from 12 to 20 MeV/A measured with the INDRA 4$\pi$ multidetector, the three-fragment exit channel occurs with a significant cross section. In this contribution, we show that these fragments arise from two successive binary splittings of a heavy composite system. Strong Coulomb proximity effects are observed in the three-fragment final state. By comparison with Coulomb trajectory calculations, we show that the time scale between the consecutive break-ups decreases with increasing bombarding energy, becoming compatible with quasi-simultaneous multifragmentation above 18 MeV/A.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, contribution to conference proceedings of the Fifth International Workshop on Nuclear fission and Fission-Product Spectroscop

On farm welfare assessment of beef cattle using an environmentally-based welfare index and investigation of the human-animal relationship.

End of Project ReportStudy 1. Animal welfare index (AWI): an on-farm survey of beef suckler farms in Ireland Summary The objectives were to (i) examine the welfare status of Irish beef suckler herds using an animal welfare index (AWI) adapted from a previously validated welfare assessment method (TGI); (ii) determine the influence of the stockpersons’ status (full: FT or part-time: PT), their interest in farming and herd size on the AWI; and (iii) compare the AWI with the TGI. Beef suckler farms (196 throughout 13 counties) were assessed once with housed cattle and once with cattle at grass using the AWI. Twenty-three of the 196 farms were revisited a year after using the AWI and the TGI. Thirty-three indicators were collected in five categories: locomotion (5 indicators); social interactions (7), flooring (5), environment (7) and stockpersonship (9). Three indicators relating to the size of the farm were also collected. The mean AWI was 65% and ranged from 54% to 83%. The grass period represented 16.5% of mean total points of the AWI. Seventy percent of the farms were rated as “Very Good” or “Excellent”. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in AWI between FT and PT farmers. PT farmers had greater (P = 0.01) “social interactions”: calving (P = 0.03) and weaning (P < 0.001) scores. FT farmers had cleaner animals (P = 0.03) and less lameness (P = 0.01). The number of animals and the interest of the stockperson were negatively and positively correlated (P = 0.001), respectively, with the AWI. A hierarchical classification was performed to examine how the indicators influenced the AWI. Farms could be categorized into three classes, the most discriminating factors for the classes were the interest of the farmer (higher scores when the farmer was more interested in farming) and the number of animals (higher scores when the herds were smaller). Study 2. Investigation and specificity of behavioural fear responses of heifers to different fear-eliciting situations involving humans. Summary This study investigated the specificity of fear responses in housed beef heifers’ over time using four behavioural tests; flight, docility, fear and chute tests. The flight, (time to join peers and avoidance distance), docility (isolation and handling) and fear (4 phases; responses of isolated heifers in (i), the absence (ii), the presence, of food and responses to a stationary human (iii) without and (iv) with visual contact of their peers) tests were carried out over three consecutive days, in that order, commencing on day 30 and again on day 80 post-housing. The chute test (movement through a race and agitation of heifers during blood sampling) was performed on day 84 post-housing. Scores (higher scores meant less fearful animals) were assigned to the fear responses. Heifers had the lowest (P < 0.05) scores during phases (i) and (iii) of the fear test and the highest (P< 0.05) during phase (iv). The most docile heifers during the docility test were the most agitated during the chute test (P < 0.001). The fear scores were sTable over time for the docility test but decreased for the fear test. The fear scores when restrained (chute test) were not correlated with other scores except for the agitation. A PCA showed that two components (avoidance of stimulus and general agitation explained 49% of the total variation. In conclusion, this study showed that fear responses of heifers can vary over time and that fear is not unitary but multidimensional. Consequently, fear responses are condition specific and tests assessing fear should consider their specificity.European Union Structural Funds (EAGGF

Impact of Multiple Factors on the Degree of Tinnitus Distress

Objective: The primary cause of subjective tinnitus is a dysfunction of the auditory system; however, the degree of distress tinnitus causes depends largely on the psychological status of the patient. Our goal was to attempt to associate the grade of tinnitus-related distress with the psychological distress, physical, or psychological discomfort patients experienced, as well as potentially relevant social parameters, through a simultaneous analysis of these factors. Methods: We determined the level of tinnitus-related distress in 531 tinnitus patients using the German version of the tinnitus questionnaire (TQ). In addition, we used the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ); General Depression Scale Allgemeine Depression Skala (ADS), Berlin Mood Questionnaire (BSF); somatic symptoms inventory (BI), and SF-8 health survey as well as general information collected through a medical history. Results: The TQ score significantly correlated with a score obtained using PSQ, ADS, BSF, BI, and SF-8 alongside psychosocial factors such as age, gender, and marital status. The level of hearing loss and the auditory properties of the specific tinnitus combined with perceived stress and the degree of depressive mood and somatic discomfort of a patient were identified as medium-strong predictors of chronic tinnitus. Social factors such as gender, age, or marital status also had an impact on the degree of tinnitus distress. The results that were obtained were implemented in a specific cortical distress network model. Conclusions: Using a large representative sample of patients with chronic tinnitus permitted a simultaneous statistical measurement of psychometric and audiological parameters in predicting tinnitus distress. We demonstrate that single factors can be distinguished in a manner that explains their causative association and influence on the induction of tinnitus-related distress

In Patients Undergoing Cochlear Implantation, Psychological Burden Affects Tinnitus and the Overall Outcome of Auditory Rehabilitation

Cochlear implantation (CI) is increasingly being used in the auditory rehabilitation of deaf patients. Here, we investigated whether the auditory rehabilitation can be influenced by the psychological burden caused by mental conditions. Our sample included 47 patients who underwent implantation. All patients were monitored before and 6 months after CI. Auditory performance was assessed using the Oldenburg Inventory (OI) and Freiburg monosyllable (FB MS) speech discrimination test. The health-related quality of life was measured with Nijmegen Cochlear implantation Questionnaire (NCIQ) whereas tinnitus- related distress was measured with the German version of Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ). We additionally assessed the general perceived quality of life, the perceived stress, coping abilities, anxiety levels and the depressive symptoms. Finally, a structured interview to detect mental conditions (CIDI) was performed before and after surgery. We found that CI led to an overall improvement in auditory performance as well as the anxiety and depression, quality of life, tinnitus distress and coping strategies. CIDI revealed that 81% of patients in our sample had affective, anxiety, and/or somatoform disorders before or after CI. The affective disorders included dysthymia and depression, while anxiety disorders included agoraphobias and unspecified phobias. We also diagnosed cases of somatoform pain disorders and unrecognizable figure somatoform disorders. We found a positive correlation between the auditory performance and the decrease of anxiety and depression, tinnitus-related distress and perceived stress. There was no association between the presence of a mental condition itself and the outcome of auditory rehabilitation. We conclude that the CI candidates exhibit high rates of psychological disorders, and there is a particularly strong association between somatoform disorders and tinnitus. The presence of mental disorders remained unaffected by CI but the degree of psychological burden decreased significantly post-CI. The implants benefitted patients in a number of psychosocial areas, improving the symptoms of depression and anxiety, tinnitus, and their quality of life and coping strategies. The prevalence of mental disorders in patients who are candidates for CI suggests the need for a comprehensive psychological and psychosomatic management of their treatment

Differences in stress-induced modulation of the auditory system between Wistar and Lewis rats

Many aspects of stress-induced physiological and psychological effects have been characterized in people and animals. However, stress effects on the auditory system are less explored and their mechanisms are not well-understood, in spite of its relevance for a variety of diseases, including tinnitus. To expedite further research of stress-induced changes in the auditory system, here we compare the reactions to stress among Wistar and Lewis rats. The animals were stressed for 24 h, and subsequently we tested the functionality of the outer hair cells (OHCs) using distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and auditory neurons using evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABR). Lastly, using Western blot, we analyzed the levels of plasticity-related proteins in the inferior colliculus, confirming that the inferior colliculus is involved in the adaptive changes that occur in the auditory system upon stress exposure. Surprisingly, the two strains reacted to stress quite differently: Lewis rats displayed a lowering of their auditory threshold, whereas it was increased in Wistar rats. These functional differences were seen in OHCs of the apical region (low frequencies) and in the auditory neurons (across several frequencies) from day 1 until 2 weeks after the experimental stress ended. Wistar and Lewis rats may thus provide models for auditory threshold increase and decrease, respectively, which can both be observed in different patients in response to stress