Calculation of the Coulomb potential between spherical-deformed and deformed-deformed nuclei using the Monte Carlo method

The Coulomb potential between spherical-deformed and deformed-deformed nuclei has been calculated using the Monte Carlo simulation. The results obtained for the Coulomb potential in the 16O$+$238U and 27Al$+$70Ge reactions are in good agreement with those obtained using the double-folding method. The simulation technique employed here has the ability of calculating the Coulomb potential taking into account the finite diffuseness parameter, all the possible deformation degrees of freedom, and different orientations of the symmetry axes of the target and the projectile nuclei with respect to each other. The accuracy of this simulation technique is high and the computer time taken to do these calculations is much less than those of the double-folding method

Study of fusion cross-sections of 16O + 208Pb and 28Si + 208Pb reactions by effective soft-core nucleon-nucleon interaction

In this paper, the cross-sections of fusion reactions 16O + 208Pb, 28Si + 208Pb, 40C + + 40Ca, 40Ca + 48Ca, 58Ni + 58Ni, and 16O + 154Sm at bombarding energies above and near the fusion barrier have been investigated. The fusion cross-sections have been studied by means of the Monte Carlo method and effective soft-core nucleon-nucleon interaction. One adjustable parameter was used in these calculations. This parameter can change the strength and repulsive parts of soft-core potential values. It has to be adjusted, so that the analytical results are in acceptable agreement with the experimental data. In our calculations, we have taken the range of the nucleon-nucleon soft-core interaction to be constant and equal to that of the M3Y-Raid potential. Results show that the higher values for the diffusion parameter in the Woods-Saxon potential obtained from a careful analysis of 16O + 208Pb and 28Si + 208Pb reactions are due to the many particle effects on the nucleon-nucleon potential

Structural reliability analysis of corroding steel bridges using random-field representation

The functional safety of steel bridges is of great importance for governments and infrastructure managers. This functionality is, however, affected by natural aging and environmental threads such as corrosion. Corrosion can play major role in steel bridge failure; mainly by reducing the thickness of bridge girders or by forming pits on the steel surface which consequently affects the structural integrity of the bridge. In this study, an innovative technique for representation of corrosion has been used when applying a multi-failure reliability analysis method. To this aim, the distribution of corrosion pits is modelled by a 2D random field and then, the generated surface is incorporated with a Monte-Carlo reliability analysis method to predict the service life of in-service steel bridge girders

The impact of internet-based cognitive behavior therapy on work ability in patients with depression – a randomized controlled study

Dominique Hange,1 Nashmil Ariai,1 Marie Kivi,2 Maria CM Eriksson,1 Shabnam Nejati,1 Eva-Lisa Petersson,1,3 1Department of Public Health and Community Medicine/Primary Health Care, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; 2Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; 3Narhalsan Research and Development Primary Health Care, Region Vastra Gotaland, Gothenburg, Sweden Objectives: The aim of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to investigate the effects of internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) treatment for depression compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU) on improving work ability and quality of life in patients with mild-to-moderate depression. We also examined whether patients treated with ICBT returned to work more rapidly, that is, had fewer days of sick leave, than patients treated with TAU.Design: This study is based on material from the PRIM-NET RCT that took place between 2010 and 2013.Setting: Primary care centers in Region Vastra Gotaland, Sweden, population about 1.6 million.Patients: A total of 77 patients with depression randomized to either ICBT (46 patients) or TAU (31 patients). Mean age of participants was 35.8 years, and 67.5% were women.Main outcome measures: Work ability was measured with the Work Ability Index, depressive symptoms with Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale – self-rating version (MADRS-S), quality of life with EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D), and number of sick leave days.Results: Both groups showed an association between improved work ability and reduction of depressive symptoms and between improved work ability and better quality of life. ICBT could not be shown to improve work ability more than TAU among patients with mild-to-moderate depression. There were no differences between the groups concerning number of patients with sick leave or number of sick leave days.Conclusion: Our study indicates that a high level of work ability has an association with high health-related quality of life in patients with mild-to-moderate depression, whether they are treated with ICBT or TAU. ICBT has previously been found to be cost-effective and can be seen as a good alternative to TAU. In addition to the ICBT, an intervention oriented toward the work place might improve work ability and reduce the number of sick leave days among patients with depression. Keywords: depression, EQ-5D, ICBT, primary care, sick leave, WA