Optical polarization of neutron-rich sodium isotopes and β\beta-NMR measurements of quadrupole moments

The nuclear quadrupole moments of neutron-rich sodium isotopes are being investigated with the help of in-beam polarization by optical pumping in combination with $\beta$-NMR techniques. First measurements have yielded the quadrupole splittings of NMR signals in the lattice of LiNbO$_{3}$ for the isotopes $^{26}$Na, $^{27}$Na and $^{28}$Na. Interaction constants and ratios of the electric quadrupole moments are derived. In view of future experiments, $\beta$-decay asymmetries for the sequence of isotopes up to the $N$=20 neutron shell closure, $^{26-31}$Na, have been measured

Laser spectroscopy investigation of the nuclear moments and radii of lutetium isotopes

Collinear laser spectroscopy experiments in the LuI transition 5d6s\!^{2} \; ^{2}\!D_{3/2} \rightarrow 5d6s6p \; ^{2}\!D_{3/2} were performed on all lutetium isotopes in the range of $^{161-179}$Lu. The nuclear spins, magnetic moments and quadrupole moments were determined from the hyperfine structures observed for 19 ground states and 11 isomers. Variations in the mean square charge radii as a function of neutron number were obtained from the isotope shifts. These data considerably extend the systematics of the properties of nuclei in the upper rare-earth region. A particular feature is the appearance of high-spin and low-spin ground states and isomeric states in the vicinity of the stable $^{175}$Lu, partly arising from aligned neutron pairs. The present results clearly show that the deformation properties are nearly independent of the occupancy and the coupling of single-particle states. Theoretical predictions of deformation are confirmed in a consistent description of the measured radii and quadrupole moments. For all observed states, the spins and magnetic moments allow the assignment of rather pure Nilsson configurations

Moments and mean square charge radii of short-lived argon isotopes

We report on the measurement of optical isotope shifts for $^{32-40}$Ar and for $^{46}$Ar from which the changes in mean square nuclear charge radii across the N = 20 neutron shell closure are deducted. The investigations were carried out by collinear laser spectroscopy in fast beams of neutral argon atoms. The ultra-sensitive detection combines optical pumping, state-selective collisional ionization and counting of $\beta$-radioactivity. By reaching far into the sd-shell, the results add new information to the systematics of radii in the calcium region (Z $\approx$ 20). Contrary to all major neutron shell closures with N $\geq$ 28, the N = 20 shell closure causes no significant slope change in the development of the radii. Information from the hyperfine structure of the odd-A isotopes includes includes the magnetic moments of $^{33}$Ar (I=1/2) and $^{39}$Ar (I=7/2), and the quadrupole moments of $^{35}$Ar, $^{37}$Ar (I=3/2) and $^{39}$Ar. The electromagnetic moments are compared to shell-model predictions for the sd- and fp-shell. Even far from stability a very good agreement between experiment and theory is found for these quantities. The mean square charge radii are discussed in the framework of spherical SGII Skyrme-type Hartree-Fock calculations

Quadrupole moments and mean-square charge radii in the bismuth isotope chain

Isotope shifts and hyperfine structures of the $^{205, 206, 208, 210, 210m, 212, 213}$Bi isotopes have been studied on the 306.7nm line using gas cell laser spectroscopy. The neutron-rich isotopes are the first isotones of Pb to be measured immediately above the N=126 shell closure. The ground state quadrupole moments of the even--N isotopes increase as neutrons are added or removed from the N=126 shell, but no corresponding increase is observed in the charge radii

Racial and ethnic disparities in motor vehicle crash-related outcomes in North Carolina surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic

Long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on racial and ethnic disparities in motor vehicle crash (MVC) injuries and death are poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize trends and investigate the heterogeneity of MVC-related disparities in North Carolina across several data sources. Crash reports, emergency department visit records, and death certificates from 2018 to 2021 were used to calculate monthly population-rates of MVC-related public health outcomes. We estimated trendlines using joinpoint regression and compared outcomes across racial and ethnic classifications. MVC and MVC-related injury rates declined in conjunction with NC’s stay-at-home order, while rates of severe outcomes remained unimpacted. By December 2021 rates of MVC-related outcomes met or exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with the highest rates observed among non-Hispanic Black individuals. Racial and ethnic disparities in MVC-related outcomes remained prevalent throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. These results highlight the importance of a holistic approach to traffic injury surveillance when assessing the impact of MVCs

Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development (BOND)—Iron Review

This is the fifth in the series of reviews developed as part of the Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development (BOND) program. The BOND Iron Expert Panel (I-EP) reviewed the extant knowledge regarding iron biology, public health implications, and the relative usefulness of currently available biomarkers of iron status from deficiency to overload. Approaches to assessing intake, including bioavailability, are also covered. The report also covers technical and laboratory considerations for the use of available biomarkers of iron status, and concludes with a description of research priorities along with a brief discussion of new biomarkers with potential for use across the spectrum of activities related to the study of iron in human health. The I-EP concluded that current iron biomarkers are reliable for accurately assessing many aspects of iron nutrition. However, a clear distinction is made between the relative strengths of biomarkers to assess hematological consequences of iron deficiency versus other putative functional outcomes, particularly the relationship between maternal and fetal iron status during pregnancy, birth outcomes, and infant cognitive, motor and emotional development. The I-EP also highlighted the importance of considering the confounding effects of inflammation and infection on the interpretation of iron biomarker results, as well as the impact of life stage. Finally, alternative approaches to the evaluation of the risk for nutritional iron overload at the population level are presented, because the currently designated upper limits for the biomarker generally employed (serum ferritin) may not differentiate between true iron overload and the effects of subclinical inflammation

The Relationship of School Start Times, Sleep Duration and Mental Health among a Representative Sample of High School Students in Colorado, 2019

This cross-sectional study utilized responses from 46,537 students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 in 166 high schools across the state of Colorado via the 2019 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey to: (1) quantify the association between high school start times and student sleep duration and (2) investigate the associations between school start times and student mental health. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were used to investigate associations between school start times and self-reported demographic, sleep, and mental health factors. Survey-weighted multivariate regression modeling was used to investigate associations between school start times, sleep duration, and mental health. Schools with late start times (≥8:30 a.m.) saw 32.2% (95% Confidence Interval: 29.5–35.0) of students sleeping 8 h or more relative to 23.2% (22.0–24.4) in schools with very early start times (<8:00 a.m.). For every 15 min later school start time, students’ sleep duration was 4.6 (3.4–5.9) min longer. Students attending schools with very early start times had 1.10 (0.95–1.27) times the odds of attempting suicide compared to those attending schools with later start times, while students at schools with early starts (8:00–8:29 a.m.) were associated with 1.11 (0.98–1.27) times the odds. Schools with later school start times had a statistically significantly higher proportion of students sleeping 8+ hours. Schools with start times before 8:30 a.m. had 10–11% higher odds of students attempting suicide compared to schools with late start times, though these differences were not statistically significant. Student mental health should continue to be investigated when assessing the potential impacts of delayed school start times