Search for the 1/2+ intruder state in P 35

The excitation energy of deformed intruder states (specifically the 2p2h bandhead) as a function of proton number Z along N=20 is of interest both in terms of better understanding the evolution of nuclear structure between spherical Ca40 and the Island of Inversion nuclei, and for benchmarking theoretical descriptions in this region. At the center of the N=20 Island of Inversion, the npnh (where n=2,4,6) neutron excitations across a diminished N=20 gap result in deformed and collective ground states, as observed in Mg32. In heavier isotones, npnh excitations do not dominate in the ground states but are present in the relatively low-lying level schemes. With the aim of identifying the expected 2p2h - s1/2+ state in P35, the only N=20 isotone for which the neutron 2p2h excitation bandhead has not yet been identified, the S36(d,He3)P35 reaction has been revisited in inverse kinematics with the HELical Orbit Spectrometer (HELIOS) at the Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System (ATLAS). While a candidate state has not been located, an upper limit for the transfer reaction cross section to populate such a configuration within a 2.5 to 3.6 MeV energy range provides a stringent constraint on the wave function compositions in both S36 and P35

The trade-off between tidal-turbine array yield and environmental impact: a habitat suitability modelling approach

In the drive towards a carbon-free society, tidal energy has the potential to become a valuable part of the UK energy supply. Developments are subject to intense scrutiny, and potential environmental impacts must be assessed. Unfortunately many of these impacts are still poorly understood, including the implications that come with altering the hydrodynamics. Here, methods are proposed to quantify ecological impact and to incorporate its minimisation into the array design process. Four tidal developments in the Pentland Firth are modelled with the array optimisation tool OpenTidalFarm, that designs arrays to generate the maximum possible profit. Maximum entropy modelling is used to create habitat suitability maps for species that respond to changes in bedshear stress. Changes in habitat suitability caused by an altered tidal regime are assessed. OpenTidalFarm is adapted to simultaneously optimise array design to maximise both this habitat suitability and to maximise the profit of the array. The problem is thus posed as a multi-objective optimisation problem, and a set of Pareto solutions found, allowing trade-offs between these two objectives to be identified. The methods proposed generate array designs that have reduced negative impact, or even positive impact, on the habitat suitability of specific species or habitats of interest

Quadrupole and octupole collectivity in Ba 143

The neutron-rich barium nuclei have been the subject of intense interest due to the enhanced octupole correlations they are predicted to exhibit. The observation of enhanced octupole collectivity in Ba144,146 as measured in sub-barrier Coulomb excitation, consistent with static octupole deformation, has further heightened this interest. In the present work, these studies are extended to the neighboring odd-mass Ba143 to investigate the interplay between single-particle and collective octupole degrees of freedom. A new measurement of the first 92 - state lifetime is also presented. Reflection-Asymmetric Triaxial Particle Rotor Model calculations indicate that the negative-parity bands in Ba143 can be understood as a decoupled structure of νh9/2 parentage, while the positive-parity bands are built on a decoupled octupole phonon. No evidence for E3 excitation is observed in this work, but an upper limit is placed on the E3 matrix element to the lowest octupole band

Examination of the low-energy enhancement of the γ -ray strength function of Fe 56

A model-independent technique was used to determine the γ-ray strength function (γSF) of Fe56 down to γ-ray energies less than 1 MeV for the first time with GRETINA using the (p,p′) reaction at 16 MeV. No difference was observed in the energy dependence of the γSF built on 2+ and 4+ final states, supporting the Brink hypothesis. In addition, angular distribution and polarization measurements were performed. The angular distributions are consistent with dipole radiation. The polarization results show a small bias towards magnetic character in the region of the enhancement

Examination of the low-energy enhancement of the γ -ray strength function of Fe 56

A model-independent technique was used to determine the γ-ray strength function (γSF) of Fe56 down to γ-ray energies less than 1 MeV for the first time with GRETINA using the (p,p′) reaction at 16 MeV. No difference was observed in the energy dependence of the γSF built on 2+ and 4+ final states, supporting the Brink hypothesis. In addition, angular distribution and polarization measurements were performed. The angular distributions are consistent with dipole radiation. The polarization results show a small bias towards magnetic character in the region of the enhancement

New insights into the genetic etiology of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

Characterization of the genetic landscape of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADD) provides a unique opportunity for a better understanding of the associated pathophysiological processes. We performed a two-stage genome-wide association study totaling 111,326 clinically diagnosed/'proxy' AD cases and 677,663 controls. We found 75 risk loci, of which 42 were new at the time of analysis. Pathway enrichment analyses confirmed the involvement of amyloid/tau pathways and highlighted microglia implication. Gene prioritization in the new loci identified 31 genes that were suggestive of new genetically associated processes, including the tumor necrosis factor alpha pathway through the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex. We also built a new genetic risk score associated with the risk of future AD/dementia or progression from mild cognitive impairment to AD/dementia. The improvement in prediction led to a 1.6- to 1.9-fold increase in AD risk from the lowest to the highest decile, in addition to effects of age and the APOE ε4 allele

Seasonally resolved surface water Δ 14 C variability in the Lombok Strait: A coralline perspective

We have explored surface water mixing in the Lombok Strait through a bimonthly resolved surface water Δ14C time series reconstructed from a coral in the Lombok Strait that spans 1937 through 1990. The prebomb surface water Δ14C average is -60.5‰, an

Proximal Hamstring Repairs Show Similar Load to Failure to Intact Hamstring Tendons: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Biomechanical Investigations

Purpose: To review cadaveric studies evaluating the maximum load to failure after proximal hamstring repair with various numbers and sizes of anchors. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used when conducting this systematic review. PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Scopus were queried in July 2024. Articles were included if they reported on the load to failure or maximum load in human cadavers undergoing proximal hamstring repair. Maximum load to failure was pooled among studies evaluating repairs compared with intact native hamstring tendons. The Biomechanics Objective Basic Science Quality Assessment Tool (BOBQAT) was used to score all articles. Results: Six studies reporting on 97 human cadaveric hemipelves undergoing open repair for proximal hamstring tears were included. The mean ages of cadavers ranged from 45.4 to 63.0 years. The mean maximum load to failure ranged from 183.3 to 1,164 N. Repairs showed no statistically significant difference in maximum load to failure when compared with native proximal hamstrings, with an effect size of –0.31 (95% confidence interval, –1.05 to 0.42; P = .40). Conclusions: Proximal hamstring repair shows a wide range of maximum loads to failure, with repaired hamstrings achieving loads to failure comparable to those of intact tendons. Repairs incorporating 3 or more anchors may improve load to failure. Clinical Relevance: Investigating the strength of proximal hamstring repair techniques can help surgeons identify which techniques may provide the strongest repair for patients. Proximal hamstring repairs show similar levels of load to failure compared with native hamstring tendons