Towards a unified view of nuclear structure northwest of 132Sn: Systematic studies of high-spin properties in Xe and Ba isotopes

This doctoral thesis presents new experimental findings on high-spin states and their theoretical implications to the region of medium-mass (50<Z, N<82) transitional nuclei. Detailed experimental data on high-spin structures in A≈130 nuclei are exploited to benchmark the reliability of shell-model calculations in the area northwest of doubly-magic nucleus 132Sn. The findings are based upon the synergies between different cutting-edge nuclear spectroscopy experiments, relying on multinucleon-transfer reactions using the high-efficient Advanced GAmma Tracking Array (AGATA) coupled in series with the tracking magnetic spectrometer PRISMA located at the Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Italy, and precise fusion-evaporation reactions at the HORUS spectrometer at the FN tandem accelerator of the University of Cologne, Germany. Xe and Ba isotopes near the 50<Z, N<82 shell closures can not be efficiently populate during fusion-evaporation experiments with reasonable production yields. Weak reaction channels which evaporate charged particles like protons require careful preconditions for a detailed spectroscopy. A new experimental setup consisting of the HORUS array in combination with a double-sided silicon strip detector (DSSSD) was commissioned to allow for detailed particle-gated γγ-spectroscopy. The existing high-spin level-schemes of 137Nd, 137Ba, 136Ba, 135Ba, 134Ba, 133Ba, 133Xe, 131Xe, and 130I were substantially extended, emphasizing the transitional character of these odd-, and even-mass nuclei. The observation of distinct backbendings in 131Xe and 134Ba establishes an important link in the smooth evolution from spherical to deformed shapes. The identification of new positive- and negative-parity level structures in 136Ba and 137Ba indicates a sudden change of the structure of high-spin states along the N=80 and N=81 chains, only two and one neutrons outside the fully occupied neutron shell. Different high-spin members of the mixed proton-neutron π(g7/2)/(d5/2)⊗νh11/2 and πh11/2⊗νh11/2 configurations were identified in doubly-odd 130I. Moreover, a millisecond pulsing system at the FN tandem accelerator was commissioned during this thesis. The 2107-, and 2388-keV states in the 133Xe and 135Ba isotones were identified as millisecond Jπ= 23/2+ isomers, closing the systematic towards the recently investigated Jπ=23/2+ isomer in 139Nd. In addition, a comprehensive search for the anticipated Jπ=23/2+ isomer in 137Ce was performed using two different experimental approaches. A hitherto tentatively assigned isomer at 1942 keV in the N=77 isotone 133Ba was confirmed as a Jπ=19/2+ isomer with a newly measured half-life of T1/2=66.6(20) ns. Similarly, the half-life value of the Jπ=19/2+ isomer at 2222 keV in 137Nd was significantly improved with a new value of T1/2=0.38(7) ns. The obtained data close systematic gaps along isotopic and isotonic chains and improve the understanding of nuclear configurations nearby the doubly-magic 132Sn. Finally, new developments and recent theoretical advances in shell-model calculations are available for a refined systematic comparison in A≈130 nuclei. Present-day shell-model interactions like GCN50:82, Realistic SM, and PQM130 are capable to overcome the previous limitations of shell-model calculations. The predictions of these calculations are in good accordance with the new experimental findings and provide access into a detailed microscopic description of high-spin features and the gradual change of nuclear structure towards the shell closure at N=82

Adalimumab (Humira®) Induced Recurrent Peritonsillar Abscess in A Patient Received Three Different Anti-TNF Therapies:A Case Report

Anti-tumor necrosis factor agents are widely used in treating ankylosing spondylitis, but they increase the risk of infection by suppressing the immune response. Therefore, physicians should be careful about recurrent infections in patients under anti-tumor necrosis factor agents.</p

Hypoglossal-Facial Nerve Reconstruction Using a Y-Tube-Conduit Reduces Aberrant Synkinetic Movements of the Orbicularis Oculi and Vibrissal Muscles in Rats

The facial nerve is the most frequently damaged nerve in head and neck trauma. Patients undergoing facial nerve reconstruction often complain about disturbing abnormal synkinetic movements of the facial muscles (mass movements, synkinesis) which are thought to result from misguided collateral branching of regenerating motor axons and reinnervation of inappropriate muscles. Here, we examined whether use of an aorta Y-tube conduit during reconstructive surgery after facial nerve injury reduces synkinesis of orbicularis oris (blink reflex) and vibrissal (whisking) musculature. The abdominal aorta plus its bifurcation was harvested (N = 12) for Y-tube conduits. Animal groups comprised intact animals (Group 1), those receiving hypoglossal-facial nerve end-to-end coaptation alone (HFA; Group 2), and those receiving hypoglossal-facial nerve reconstruction using a Y-tube (HFA-Y-tube, Group 3). Videotape motion analysis at 4 months showed that HFA-Y-tube group showed a reduced synkinesis of eyelid and whisker movements compared to HFA alone

The pain symptoms and mass recurrence rates after ovarian cystectomy or uni/bilateral oophorectomy procedures in patients over 40 years old with endometriosis

Objectives: To evaluate the rates of pain and mass recurrence of the patients over 40 years old with endometriosis who underwent ovarian cystectomy or uni/bilateral oophorectomy. Material and methods: A retrospective study was conducted with 98 patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis in a tertiary referral center between the time period July 2015 and July 2019. All the patients followed every 3 months and requested to fill the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for evaluation of pelvic pain and an ultrasound scan was performed. The inclusion criteria for this study were as follows, patients with ages over 40, with regular menstrual periods, and who denied hysterectomy and any postoperative hormonal medical treatments. Results: When the groups were compared in terms of age, body mass index, cyst diameter, CA-125 serum concentrations, preoperative and after surgical pelvic pain scores, mean follow up periods, postoperative hospital stay. However, each of the mean numbers of gravidity and parity were significantly higher than bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) groups compared to the other groups (p = 0.04 and p = 0.03, respectively). The laterality, the recurrence rates, and the type of recurrence did not have a significant effect in the group comparison. Conclusions: The ovarian tissue preserving procedures could be offered for the women over 40 years old suffering from endometriosis with no significant increase in pain symptom or mass recurrence rates considering beneficial effects of estrogen on cardiovascular system, vasomotor symptoms, and bone mineral density

Physiological effects of the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum) and humic substances on plant growth, enzyme activities of certain pepper plants grown under salt stress

This study was aimed to examine the effects of seaweed extract (SW) and humic acid on the fruit yield, dry weight (DW%), protein, proline, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and antioxidative enzyme activity of pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.) grown under saline conditions (100 mM). The obtained results indicated that salinity stress affected deleteriously plant growth and all other parameters. Besides, the treatment of seaweed (SW) and humic acid (HA) improved vegetative growth in the plant at all concentration levels applied under salinity conditions. Leaf fresh and dry weight was increased by all SW and HA applications in salinity stressed plant compared to those of control. Furthermore, there was a significant improvement in antioxidant enzyme activity, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) activities in the plant under salt stress and treated with SW and HA compounds. It suggests that seaweed and humic acid can enhance salt stress tolerance and leads to conservation of pepper plant against oxidative stress

Highly conjugated visible and near-infrared light photoinitiating systems for radical and cationic polymerizations

In this communication, we report highly conjugated thiophenes having [1,2,5]-thiadiazolo and [1,2,5]-selenadiazolo [3,4-f]-benzo [1,2,3] triazole in conjunction with diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate salt(DPI) as new visible and near-infrared light (NIR) photoinitiator systems for free radical (FRP) and cationicpolymerizations (CP). The postulated mechanism is based on the electron transfer reactions between the excitedconjugated molecule and DPI ions. The radicals and Bronsted acid formed this way initiate FRP and CP ofappropriate monomers such as methylacrylate (MA), methyl methacrylate (MMA), triethylene glycol dimethacrylate(TEGDMA) and cyclohexene oxide (CHO), isobutyl vinylether (IBVE) respectively. The possibility of insitu hybrid polymerization is also demonstrated using bifunctional monomer glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)

Tissue Doppler echocardiography can be a useful technique to evaluate atrial conduction time

Background: The main purpose of this study is to determine the correlation of inter- and intraatrial conduction times between the electrophysiological and tissue Doppler echocardiographic measurements, and to evaluate the appropriateness of tissue Doppler echocardiography for this measurement. Methods: One-hundred and one patients were included in the study who underwent electrophysiological study for clinical arrhythmias. Inter- and intraatrial conduction times were measured from intracardiac electrograms. Atrial conduction times were also measured by tissue Doppler echocardiography by evaluating atrial electromechanical delay between lateral mitral annulus, septal mitral annulus, and right ventricular tricuspid annulus. The correlation between electrophysiological and echocardiographic atrial conduction times were analyzed. Results: We found a weak correlation between the measurements of interatrial conduction times with the electrophysiological and tissue Doppler techniques (r = 0.308; p = 0.002). The correlation for intraleft atrial conduction times was moderate (r = 0.652; p < 0.001). There was no correlation between the measurements of intra-right atrial conduction times. Conclusions: We concluded that tissue Doppler echocardiography can be used for the measurement of interatrial and intra-left atrial conduction times. Tissue Doppler echocardiography can be a suitable technique to evaluate atrial substrate. (Cardiol J 2012; 19, 5: 487-493