Moments of Inertia of Nuclei in the Rare Earth Region: A Relativistic versus Non-Relativistic Investigation

A parameter free investigation of the moments of inertia of ground state rotational bands in well deformed rare-earth nuclei is carried out using Cranked Relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov (CRHB) and non-relativistic Cranked Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (CHFB) theories. In CRHB theory, the relativistic fields are determined by the non-linear Lagrangian with the NL1 force and the pairing interaction by the central part of finite range Gogny D1S force. In CHFB theory, the properties in particle-hole and particle-particle channels are defined solely by Gogny D1S forces. Using an approximate particle number projection before variation by means of the Lipkin Nogami method improves the agreement with the experimental data, especially in CRHB theory. The effect of the particle number projection on the moments of inertia and pairing energies is larger in relativistic than in non-relativistic theory.Comment: 18 pages + 2 PostScript figure

SMOS soil moisture product validation in croplands

A validation campaign has been carried out to evaluate the Level 2 Soil Moisture (SM) product (version 5.51) given by the European Space Agency (ESA) Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite in the Pampean Region of Argentina. The study region was selected because it is a plain, avoiding topography problems, with an SMOS nominal land use class (low vegetation crops, 1-2m height). Transects of ground SM measurements were collected at 5-cm and 6-cm depth using Delta-T ThetaProbe ML2x and Stevens Hydra Probe II SM sensors, respectively. The volumetric measurements were calibrated using gravimetric and bulk density data collected at the same time as the SM sensor measurements. The SM transects covered ISEA-grid SMOS nodes over four extensive agricultural areas with prevalence of soy crops (site 1: -32.982N, -62.505E; site 2: -32.510N, -62.788E; site 3: -32.024N, -63.692E; and site 4: -37.315N, -58.868E, WGS84). The validation sites were selected taking as reference the locations of permanent SM stations property of the Argentinean Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE, National Commission of Space Activities), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA, National Institute of Farming Technology) and Instituto de Hidrología de Llanuras (IHLLA, Plain Hydrology Institute). Therefore, additionally to validate the SMOS SM product with the ground data collected during the experimental campaign, the measurements are useful to evaluate the station SM data reliability at the SMOS spatial resolution with the aim of using station data series as reference to test different versions of the SMOS SM product. Previously to the campaign, SMOS SM data variability, ESA Globcover land use classification, soil edaphic properties, water bodies and topography were analyzed around the station locations to select the best sites and the experimental methodology. Temperature vegetation dryness index (TVDI) temporal and spatial variability was also studied at the sites. Additionally, transects of land surface temperature were carried out with Cimel Electronique CE312 6-band radiometers concurrently with thermal-infrared (TIR) satellite overpasses. In previous works, we studied the dependence of land surface emissivities on SM. The analysis of concurrent TIR and SM data make possible to evaluate the utility of the SMOS SM product to improve land surface emissivities and temperature determinations from satellite, giving an added value to the research

Mean field theory for global binding systematics

We review some possible improvements of mean field theory for application to nuclear binding systematics. Up to now, microscopic theory has been less successful than models starting from the liquid drop in describing accurately the global binding systematics. We believe that there are good prospects to develop a better global theory, using modern forms of energy density functionals and treating correlation energies systematically by the RPA.Comment: RevTex, 17 pages, 5 eps figures. To be published in Yadernaya Fizika, special edition for the 90th birthday of Professor A.B. Migda

Cranked Relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov Theory: Superdeformed Bands in the A∼190A\sim 190 Region

Cranked Relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov (CRHB) theory is presented as an extension of Relativistic Mean Field theory with pairing correlations to the rotating frame. Pairing correlations are taken into account by a finite range two-body force of Gogny type and approximate particle number projection is performed by Lipkin-Nogami method. This theory is applied to the description of yrast superdeformed rotational bands observed in even-even nuclei of the $A\sim 190$ mass region. Using the well established parameter sets NL1 for the Lagrangian and D1S for the pairing force one obtains a very successful description of data such as kinematic ($J^{(1)}$) and dynamic ($J^{(2)}$) moments of inertia without any adjustment of new parameters. Within the present experimental accuracy the calculated transition quadrupole moments $Q_t$ agree reasonably well with the observed data.Comment: 6 pages including 4 PostScript figures, uses RevTex, revised version, Phys.Rev. C, Rapid Communications, in pres

International consensus recommendations on the diagnostic work-up for malformations of cortical development

Malformations of cortical development (MCDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders that result from abnormal development of the cerebral cortex in utero. MCDs place a substantial burden on affected individuals, their families and societies worldwide, as these individuals can experience lifelong drug-resistant epilepsy, cerebral palsy, feeding difficulties, intellectual disability and other neurological and behavioural anomalies. The diagnostic pathway for MCDs is complex owing to wide variations in presentation and aetiology, thereby hampering timely and adequate management. In this article, the international MCD network Neuro-MIG provides consensus recommendations to aid both expert and non-expert clinicians in the diagnostic work-up of MCDs with the aim of improving patient management worldwide. We reviewed the literature on clinical presentation, aetiology and diagnostic approaches for the main MCD subtypes and collected data on current practices and recommendations from clinicians and diagnostic laboratories within Neuro-MIG. We reached consensus by 42 professionals from 20 countries, using expert discussions and a Delphi consensus process. We present a diagnostic workflow that can be applied to any individual with MCD and a comprehensive list of MCD-related genes with their associated phenotypes. The workflow is designed to maximize the diagnostic yield and increase the number of patients receiving personalized care and counselling on prognosis and recurrence risk

Polyfunctional T-Cell Responses Are Disrupted by the Ovarian Cancer Ascites Environment and Only Partially Restored by Clinically Relevant Cytokines

Host T-cell responses are associated with favorable outcomes in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), but it remains unclear how best to promote these responses in patients. Toward this goal, we evaluated a panel of clinically relevant cytokines for the ability to enhance multiple T-cell effector functions (polyfunctionality) in the native tumor environment.Experiments were performed with resident CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in bulk ascites cell preparations from high-grade serous EOC patients. T cells were stimulated with α-CD3 in the presence of 100% autologous ascites fluid with or without exogenous IL-2, IL-12, IL-18 or IL-21, alone or in combination. T-cell proliferation (Ki-67) and function (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, CCL4, and CD107a expression) were assessed by multi-parameter flow cytometry. In parallel, 27 cytokines were measured in culture supernatants. While ascites fluid had variable effects on CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell proliferation, it inhibited T-cell function in most patient samples, with CD107a, IFN-γ, and CCL4 showing the greatest inhibition. This was accompanied by reduced levels of IL-1β, IL-1ra, IL-9, IL-17, G-CSF, GM-CSF, Mip-1α, PDGF-bb, and bFGF in culture supernatants. T-cell proliferation was enhanced by exogenous IL-2, but other T-cell functions were largely unaffected by single cytokines. The combination of IL-2 with cytokines engaging complementary signaling pathways, in particular IL-12 and IL-18, enhanced expression of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and CCL4 in all patient samples by promoting polyfunctional T-cell responses. Despite this, other functional parameters generally remained inhibited.The EOC ascites environment disrupts multiple T-cell functions, and exogenous cytokines engaging diverse signaling pathways only partially reverse these effects. Our results may explain the limited efficacy of cytokine therapies for EOC to date. Full restoration of T-cell function will require activation of signaling pathways beyond those engaged by IL-2, IL-12, IL-18, and IL-21