First Evidence of Axial Shape Asymmetry and Configuration Coexistence in

The excited states of N=44 ^{74}Zn were investigated via γ-ray spectroscopy following ^{74}Cu ß decay. By exploiting γ-γ angular correlation analysis, the 2_{2}^{+}, 3_{1}^{+}, 0_{2}^{+}, and 2_{3}^{+} states in ^{74}Zn were firmly established. The γ-ray branching and E2/M1 mixing ratios for transitions deexciting the 2_{2}^{+}, 3_{1}^{+}, and 2_{3}^{+} states were measured, allowing for the extraction of relative B(E2) values. In particular, the 2_{3}^{+}→0_{2}^{+} and 2_{3}^{+}→4_{1}^{+} transitions were observed for the first time. The results show excellent agreement with new microscopic large-scale shell-model calculations, and are discussed in terms of underlying shapes, as well as the role of neutron excitations across the N=40 gap. Enhanced axial shape asymmetry (triaxiality) is suggested to characterize ^{74}Zn in its ground state. Furthermore, an excited K=0 band with a significantly larger softness in its shape is identified. A shore of the N=40 "island of inversion" appears to manifest above Z=26, previously thought as its northern limit in the chart of the nuclides.

High-Precision Half-Life Measurements for the Superallowed ß

Precision measurements of superallowed Fermi ß-decay transitions, particularly for the lightest superallowed emitters ^{10}C and ^{14}O, set stringent limits on possible scalar current contributions to the weak interaction. In the present work, a discrepancy between recent measurements of the ^{10}C half-life is addressed through two high-precision half-life measurements, via γ-ray photopeak and ß counting, that yield consistent results for the ^{10}C half-life of T_{1/2}=19.2969±0.0074 s and T_{1/2}=19.3009±0.0017 s, respectively. The latter is the most precise superallowed ß-decay half-life measurement reported to date and the first to achieve a relative precision below 10^{-4}. A fit to the world superallowed ß-decay data including the ^{10}C half-life measurements reported here yields b_{F}=-0.0018±0.0021 (68% C.L.) for the Fierz interference term and C_{S}/C_{V}=+0.0009±0.0011 for the ratio of the weak scalar to vector couplings assuming left-handed neutrinos.

Displaced intracapuslar hip fractures in the working age alcohol-abusing patient.

Management of alcohol-abusing patients presenting with intracapsular hip fractures is controversial. The aim of this study was to compare the management and outcome of working-age alcohol-abusing patients with similar-aged controls. Patients were identified from a prospectively collected database of trauma admissions. Full case notes were available for 78 patients under 65 of age presenting with a displaced intacapsular fracture at a teaching hospital between 1998 and 2002. Thirty seven patients had evidence of alcohol abuse. Alcohol-abusing patients presented to hospital later (p = 0.05), underwent surgery a median of 18 hours later (p = 0.011) and required a longer post operative stay (p = 0.003) compared to non-abusers. Despite this, the results of internal fixation were comparable. There was no significant difference between alcohol-abusers and non-abusers in rates of avascular necrosis (6.9% vs 9.7%; odds ratio 0.69, 0.11-4.47) or revision surgery (0.21 vs 0.10 procedures/ patient; odds ratio 1.49, 0.30-7.33). The high rates of alcohol abuse in this low-velocity trauma population suggest such patients are at increased risk of osteoporosis. Routine screening for osteoporosis should be considered in working-age alcohol abusers. After subcapital fracture, reduction and internal fixation is an acceptable treatment in this sub-group of patients.

How should the common bile duct be explored?

An attempt has been made to find which of 3 operations currently in use for exploring the bile ducts gave the best clinical results. For this purpose 3 series of consecutive patients treated at The London Hospital over a 12-year period have been studied retrospectively. The operations used were as follows: (1) conventional supraduodenal choledochotomy; (2) transduodenal biliary sphincterotomy; and (3) a combined approach. The mortality in the supraduodenal series was 4 (4%) of 101 patients and in the transduodenal series 2 (2.4%) of 82 patients. Both routes were used in 26 patients, of whom 2 (7.7%) died. Early complications were commoner after choledochotomy than after biliary sphincterotomy, but when both procedures were combined the incidence was higher still. Late complications were also more frequent after both the supraduodenal and the combined approach, residual or recurrent stones and cholangitis being 6 times more common than after sphincterotomy alone. Postexploratory cholangiography, however, was not used routinly in the supraduodenal series and might conceivably have reduced this factor further, but not below 3. Stenosis occurred in one patient after choledochotomy and in one patient after the combined operation but not after sphincterotomy alone. In this study, therefore, transduodenal biliary sphincterotomy gave the lowest mortality and morbidity. With the combined procedure, however, the mortality and morbidity were much higher than after either method alone.

Available biological treatments for complex non-unions.

The treatment of complex non-unions may be lengthy and very expensive. The majority of aseptic non-union cases require a variable degree of biological enhancement. Autologous iliac crest bone graft remains the gold standard of treatment. However, other means of biological stimulation are currently available in the armamentarium of the treating physician. This review article reports on the different available biological treatment options for the management of complex aseptic bone non-unions.

Upper oesophageal web in childhood.

Two cases of upper oesophageal web in childhood are described. The importance of distending the upper oesophagus with barium for the demonstration of these lesions is stressed.