Experimental study of the two-body spin-orbit force in nuclei.

Energies and spectroscopic factors of the first 7/2-, 3/2-, 1/2-, and 5/2- states in the (35)Si21 nucleus were determined by means of the (d, p) transfer reaction in inverse kinematics at GANIL using the MUST2 and EXOGAM detectors. By comparing the spectroscopic information on the Si35 and S37 isotones, a reduction of the p3/2-p1/2 spin-orbit splitting by about 25% is proposed, while the f7/2-f5/2 spin-orbit splitting seems to remain constant. These features, derived after having unfolded nuclear correlations using shell model calculations, have been attributed to the properties of the two-body spin-orbit interaction, the amplitude of which is derived for the first time in an atomic nucleus. The present results, remarkably well reproduced by using several realistic nucleon-nucleon forces, provide a unique touchstone for the modeling of the spin-orbit interaction in atomic nuclei.

First outbreak of community-acquired MRSA USA300 in France: failure to suppress prolonged MRSA carriage despite decontamination procedures.

The first French outbreak of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) USA300 clone was investigated. After outbreak investigation, hygiene measures were implemented in all family households and childminders' homes. Several decontamination procedures were performed, which used a combination of topical mupirocin, total body application of chlorhexidine, chlorhexidine gargle (if >6 years old) and a course of antibiotic therapy in cases of infection or decontamination failure. Patients were followed up for MRSA skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) and carriage. Strains were characterised by antimicrobial drug resistance profile, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and DNA microarrays. Between June 2011 and June 2012, six children and six adults among the ten corresponding relatives developed 28 SSTIs. None of the family members, including the index case, had any contact with foreigners or individuals known to have SSTIs. After infection control measures and prolonged decontamination have been implemented with a high adherence, six patients remained sustained CA-MRSA USA300 carriers, including one who developed mupirocin resistance and six who experienced minor CA-MRSA-related SSTIs. A baby was identified as an MRSA carrier 2 months after delivery. CA-MRSA decontamination using mupirocin and chlorhexidine in the community setting may also be a questionable strategy, associated with failure and resistance to both agents. Close monitoring of CA-MRSA SSTIs is required in France and in other European countries where MRSA USA300 has recently emerged. We showed that a closed management based on hygiene measures reinforcement, decolonisation and extended screening may fail to suppress CA-MRSA carriage and subsequent infections.

Limited asymmetry dependence of correlations from single nucleon transfer.

Single nucleon pickup reactions were performed with a 18.1 MeV/nucleon (14)O beam on a deuterium target. Within the coupled reaction channel framework, the measured cross sections were compared to theoretical predictions and analyzed using both phenomenological and microscopic overlap functions. The missing strength due to correlations does not show significant dependence on the nucleon separation energy asymmetry over a wide range of 37 MeV, in contrast with nucleon removal data analyzed within the sudden-eikonal formalism.

Building and environmental acoustics in obsolete residential neighbourhoods: The case of San Pablo, Spain.

In order to establish an agreement between the objectives of acoustic quality in the outdoor environment and the acoustic insulation in a building as required in the current legislation in Spain, the acoustic insulation of typical social housing has been studied in the residential neighbourhood of San Pablo in Seville. Field measurements based on acoustic sonometry have been performed in its public areas, together with the consultations to the strategic noise maps prepared by the administration of the city and with data from a questionnaire answered by neighbours on the perception of environmental and domestic noise. These inputs have enabled calculations of airborne and impact noise insulation in a typical dwelling of the neighbourhood. The neighbourhood presents various kinds of obsolescence, as do many residential estates built in Europe in the same period, mainly in terms of its low quality of construction and structural solutions, its energy poverty, and its typology. Results on acoustic insulation indicate that the requirements of current Spanish legislation have not been met, Dnt,A = 49 dBA, L'nT,w = 80 dB. However, thanks not only to the urban layout of the various types of housing blocks in the neighbourhood, but also to the breadth and abundance of green and common areas and to their roads, the existing environmental sound levels remain below the established limit: Ld < 60 dBA. Hence, the calculation for the external noise insulation in façades indicates that the requirements are met, D2m,nT,Atr = 33 dBA. In the acoustic survey, most people consider the environmental acoustic conditions of the neighbourhood to be acceptable or good and believe that they are barely affected by the domestic noise of next-door neighbours. The research found that social heritage neighbourhoods of the 1960s and 1970s, laid out with cul-de-sacs, curved layouts, and small pockets of parking, significantly improve their urban acoustic performance.

Radiation protection study related to the future post-accelerator of the HIE-ISOLDE project.

The HIE-ISOLDE project aims at expanding the physics programme of the ISOLDE facility at CERN. In particular, the addition of a superconducting linac will allow the post-acceleration of radioactive ion beams up to 10 MeV/u. However, because of field emission in the superconducting cavities and the possibility of neutron production for ion interactions above the Coulomb barrier, new radiological hazards need to be mitigated. Measurements of dose rate levels close to cavity prototypes were used to determine the intensity of the source of X ray due to field emission for a single cavity. The results were extrapolated to the operation of the 32 cavities that will be installed, and a detailed FLUKA calculation was performed to determine the required shielding to minimise the exposure of personnel present in the ISOLDE experimental hall during operation. FLUKA was also used to determine the maximum ambient dose equivalent rate levels in the accessible part of the hall due to ion beam losses for the envelope energies and intensities.

Search for Lorentz and CPT violation effects in Muon spin precession.

The spin precession frequency of muons stored in the (g-2) storage ring has been analyzed for evidence of Lorentz and CPT violation. Two Lorentz and CPT violation signatures were searched for a nonzero delta omega a(=omega a mu+ - omega a mu-) and a sidereal variation of omega a mu+/-). No significant effect is found, and the following limits on the standard-model extension parameters are obtained: bZ = -(1.0+/-1.1) x 10(-23) GeV; (m mu dZ0 + HXY)=(1.8+/-6.0) x 10(-23) GeV; and the 95% confidence level limits b perpendicular mu+ <1.4 x 10(-24) GeV and b perpendicular mu- <2.6 x 10(-24) GeV.

Gender dependent effects of testosterone and 17 beta-estradiol on bone growth and modelling in young mice.

This study examined the effects of estrogen (17 beta-estradiol) and testosterone on the growth of long bones in male and female mice, with and without gonadectomy. Weight and nose-to-tail length were determined at 3 weeks of age at time of gonadectomy, 7 days later at the onset of hormone therapy, and throughout the treatment period. Gonadectomized mice exhibited an initial weight gain during the pretreatment period but length was unaffected. Hormone treatment altered weight gain in surgical and intact animals in a gender- and hormone-dependent manner. Estradiol enhanced weight gain in intact mice, but inhibited weight gain in ovariectomized mice. Lower doses of estradiol increased weight gain in orchiectomized mice at early time points. Testosterone increased weight in intact females and males, but not in gonadectomized mice. Estradiol increased nose-to-tail length in intact females at early time points, but inhibited length in ovariectomized females at later times, and it decreased length in intact males. Testosterone increased length in normal females and normal males. Serum Ca was unaffected by ovariectomy, but orchiectomy resulted in decreased levels. Estradiol reduced serum Ca in gonadectomized animals; serum Ca was increased by estradiol treatment in intact females. Changes in tibial bone weight, ash weight and mineral composition, and relative sizes of epiphyseal and metaphyseal bone were gender-, gonadectomy- and hormone-specific. Bone weight was greater in ovariectomized mice. Ash weight per bone was comparable, but there was an increase in Ca and P content with ovariectomy. Estradiol increased bone weight, ash content, and bone Ca and P in ovariectomized and intact females. Orchiectomy alone did not alter bone weight, ash content, or Ca and P, but orchiectomized mice were sensitive to estradiol; all parameters were increased in the orchiectomized animals treated with estradiol. Analysis of the ash content and Ca and P per mg bone, rather than per bone, demonstrated estradiol and testosterone alter net bone formation, but not the amount of mineral per unit bone. Ovariectomy increased hypertrophic cartilage. While estradiol did not alter tibial area in ovariectomized mice, it caused an increase in intact females. The total amount of growth plate cartilage in ovariectomized animals was decreased by estradiol to levels typical of intact animals due to a greater decrease in the hypertrophic cartilage in the ovariectomized mice, as well as a greater increase in metaphyseal bone area. Testosterone had no effect on these parameters in the females. Orchiectomy decreased the amount of growth plate cartilage, but increased the hypertrophic zone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Precise measurement of the positive muon anomalous magnetic moment.

A precise measurement of the anomalous g value, a(mu) = (g-2)/2, for the positive muon has been made at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron. The result a(mu+) = 11 659 202(14) (6) x 10(-10) (1.3 ppm) is in good agreement with previous measurements and has an error one third that of the combined previous data. The current theoretical value from the standard model is a(mu)(SM) = 11 659 159.6(6.7) x 10(-10) (0.57 ppm) and a(mu)(exp) - a(mu)(SM) = 43(16) x 10(-10) in which a(mu)(exp) is the world average experimental value.

Measurement of the positive muon anomalous magnetic moment to 0.7 ppm.

A higher precision measurement of the anomalous g value, a(mu)=(g-2)/2, for the positive muon has been made at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron, based on data collected in the year 2000. The result a(mu(+))=11 659 204(7)(5)x10(-10) (0.7 ppm) is in good agreement with previous measurements and has an error about one-half that of the combined previous data. The present world average experimental value is a(mu)(expt)=11 659 203(8)x10(-10) (0.7 ppm).

Embarazo múltiple en útero didelfo / Multiple pregnancy in didelphic uterus

Se presenta un caso excepcional de embarazo múltiple con un feto en cada hemiútero de un útero didelfo (doble útero, doble cuello y vagina única). El diagnóstico de útero didelfo fue hecho durante la primera exploración ecográfica en el primer trimestre. Se discute el diagnóstico, manejo y resolución del parto