Excited-State Half-Lives in

The known I^{π}=8_{1}^{+}, E_{x}=2129-keV isomer in the semimagic nucleus ^{130}Cd_{82} was populated in the projectile fission of a ^{238}U beam at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory at RIKEN. The high counting statistics of the accumulated data allowed us to determine the excitation energy, E_{x}=2001.2(7) keV, and half-life, T_{1/2}=57(3) ns, of the I^{π}=6_{1}^{+} state based on γγ coincidence information. Furthermore, the half-life of the 8_{1}^{+} state, T_{1/2}=224(4) ns, was remeasured with high precision. The new experimental information, combined with available data for ^{134}Sn and large-scale shell model calculations, allowed us to extract proton and neutron effective charges for ^{132}Sn, a doubly magic nucleus far-off stability. A comparison to analogous information for ^{100}Sn provides first reliable information regarding the isospin dependence of the isoscalar and isovector effective charges in heavy nuclei.

Competition between Allowed and First-Forbidden ß Decay: The Case of

The ß decay of ^{208}Hg into the one-proton hole, one neutron-particle _{81}^{208}Tl_{127} nucleus was investigated at CERN-ISOLDE. Shell-model calculations describe well the level scheme deduced, validating the proton-neutron interactions used, with implications for the whole of the N>126, Z<82 quadrant of neutron-rich nuclei. While both negative and positive parity states with spin 0 and 1 are expected within the Q_{ß} window, only three negative parity states are populated directly in the ß decay. The data provide a unique test of the competition between allowed Gamow-Teller and Fermi, and first-forbidden ß decays, essential for the understanding of the nucleosynthesis of heavy nuclei in the rapid neutron capture process. Furthermore, the observation of the parity changing 0^{+}→0^{-}ß decay where the daughter state is core excited is unique, and can provide information on mesonic corrections of effective operators.

Metastable States of

Here we present new information on the shape evolution of the very neutron-rich ^{92,94}Se nuclei from an isomer-decay spectroscopy experiment at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory at RIKEN. High-resolution germanium detectors were used to identify delayed γ rays emitted following the decay of their isomers. New transitions are reported extending the previously known level schemes. The isomeric levels are interpreted as originating from high-K quasineutron states with an oblate deformation of ß∼0.25, with the high-K state in ^{94}Se being metastable and K hindered. Following this, ^{94}Se is the lowest-mass neutron-rich nucleus known to date with such a substantial K hindrance. Furthermore, it is the first observation of an oblate K isomer in a deformed nucleus. This opens up the possibility for a new region of K isomers at low Z and at oblate deformation, involving the same neutron orbitals as the prolate orbitals within the classic Z∼72 deformed hafnium region. From an interpretation of the level scheme guided by theoretical calculations, an oblate deformation is also suggested for the ^{94}Se_{60} ground-state band.

Improved Value for the Gamow-Teller Strength of the

A record number of ^{100}Sn nuclei was detected and new isotopic species toward the proton dripline were discovered at the RIKEN Nishina Center. Decay spectroscopy was performed with the high-efficiency detector arrays WAS3ABi and EURICA. Both the half-life and the ß-decay end point energy of ^{100}Sn were measured more precisely than the literature values. The value and the uncertainty of the resulting strength for the pure 0^{+}→1^{+} Gamow-Teller decay was improved to B_{GT}=4.4_{-0.7}^{+0.9}. A discrimination between different model calculations was possible for the first time, and the level scheme of ^{100}In is investigated further.

Superallowed Gamow-Teller decay of the doubly magic nucleus 100Sn.

The shell structure of atomic nuclei is associated with 'magic numbers' and originates in the nearly independent motion of neutrons and protons in a mean potential generated by all nucleons. During ß(+)-decay, a proton transforms into a neutron in a previously not fully occupied orbital, emitting a positron-neutrino pair with either parallel or antiparallel spins, in a Gamow-Teller or Fermi transition, respectively. The transition probability, or strength, of a Gamow-Teller transition depends sensitively on the underlying shell structure and is usually distributed among many states in the neighbouring nucleus. Here we report measurements of the half-life and decay energy for the decay of (100)Sn, the heaviest doubly magic nucleus with equal numbers of protons and neutrons. In the ß-decay of (100)Sn, a large fraction of the strength is observable because of the large decay energy. We determine the largest Gamow-Teller strength so far measured in allowed nuclear ß-decay, establishing the 'superallowed' nature of this Gamow-Teller transition. The large strength and the low-energy states in the daughter nucleus, (100)In, are well reproduced by modern, large-scale shell model calculations.

Are There Signatures of Harmonic Oscillator Shells Far from Stability? First Spectroscopy of

The first measurement of the low-lying states of the neutron-rich ^{110}Zr and ^{112}Mo was performed via in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy after one proton removal on hydrogen at ∼200 MeV/nucleon. The 2_{1}^{+} excitation energies were found at 185(11) keV in ^{110}Zr, and 235(7) keV in ^{112}Mo, while the R_{42}=E(4_{1}^{+})/E(2_{1}^{+}) ratios are 3.1(2), close to the rigid rotor value, and 2.7(1), respectively. These results are compared to modern energy density functional based configuration mixing models using Gogny and Skyrme effective interactions. We conclude that first levels of ^{110}Zr exhibit a rotational behavior, in agreement with previous observations of lighter zirconium isotopes as well as with the most advanced Monte Carlo shell model predictions. The data, therefore, do not support a harmonic oscillator shell stabilization scenario at Z=40 and N=70. The present data also invalidate predictions for a tetrahedral ground state symmetry in ^{110}Zr.

Shape Evolution in Neutron-Rich Krypton Isotopes Beyond N=60: First Spectroscopy of

We report on the first γ-ray spectroscopy of low-lying states in neutron-rich ^{98,100}Kr isotopes obtained from ^{99,101}Rb(p,2p) reactions at ∼220 MeV/nucleon. A reduction of the 2_{1}^{+} state energies beyond N=60 demonstrates a significant increase of deformation, shifted in neutron number compared to the sharper transition observed in strontium and zirconium isotopes. State-of-the-art beyond-mean-field calculations using the Gogny D1S interaction predict level energies in good agreement with experimental results. The identification of a low-lying (0_{2}^{+}, 2_{2}^{+}) state in ^{98}Kr provides the first experimental evidence of a competing configuration at low energy in neutron-rich krypton isotopes consistent with the oblate-prolate shape coexistence picture suggested by theory.

New Isotopes and Proton Emitters-Crossing the Drip Line in the Vicinity of

Several new isotopes, ^{96}In, ^{94}Cd, ^{92}Ag, and ^{90}Pd, have been identified at the RIKEN Nishina Center. The study of proton drip-line nuclei in the vicinity of ^{100}Sn led to the discovery of new proton emitters ^{93}Ag and ^{89}Rh with half-lives in the submicrosecond range. The systematics of the half-lives of odd-Z nuclei with T_{z}=-1/2 toward ^{99}Sn shows a stabilizing effect of the Z=50 shell closure. Production cross sections for nuclei in the vicinity of ^{100}Sn measured at different energies and target thicknesses were compared to the cross sections calculated by epax taking into account contributions of secondary reactions in the primary target.

Role of the Δ Resonance in the Population of a Four-Nucleon State in the

The ^{54}Fe nucleus was populated from a ^{56}Fe beam impinging on a Be target with an energy of E/A=500 MeV. The internal decay via γ-ray emission of the 10^{+} metastable state was observed. As the structure of this isomeric state has to involve at least four unpaired nucleons, it cannot be populated in a simple two-neutron removal reaction from the ^{56}Fe ground state. The isomeric state was produced in the low-momentum (-energy) tail of the parallel momentum (energy) distribution of ^{54}Fe, suggesting that it was populated via the decay of the Δ^{0} resonance into a proton. This process allows the population of four-nucleon states, such as the observed isomer. Therefore, it is concluded that the observation of this 10^{+} metastable state in ^{54}Fe is a consequence of the quark structure of the nucleons.

Half-life systematics across the N=126 shell closure: role of first-forbidden transitions in the ß decay of heavy neutron-rich nuclei.

This Letter reports on a systematic study of ß-decay half-lives of neutron-rich nuclei around doubly magic (208)Pb. The lifetimes of the 126-neutron shell isotone (204)Pt and the neighboring (200-202)Ir, (203)Pt, (204)Au are presented together with other 19 half-lives measured during the "stopped beam" campaign of the rare isotope investigations at GSI collaboration. The results constrain the main nuclear theories used in calculations of r-process nucleosynthesis. Predictions based on a statistical macroscopic description of the first-forbidden ß strength reveal significant deviations for most of the nuclei with N<126. In contrast, theories including a fully microscopic treatment of allowed and first-forbidden transitions reproduce more satisfactorily the trend in the measured half-lives for the nuclei in this region, where the r-process pathway passes through during ß decay back to stability.

Hindered Gamow-Teller decay to the odd-odd N=Z (62)Ga: absence of proton-neutron T=0 condensate in A=62.

Search for a new kind of superfluidity built on collective proton-neutron pairs with aligned spin is performed studying the Gamow-Teller decay of the T=1, J(π)=0+ ground state of (62)Ge into excited states of the odd-odd N=Z nucleus (62)Ga. The experiment is performed at GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Shwerionenforshung with the (62)Ge ions selected by the fragment separator and implanted in a stack of Si-strip detectors, surrounded by the RISING Ge array. A half-life of T1/2=82.9(14) ms is measured for the (62)Ge ground state. Six excited states of (62)Ga, populated below 2.5 MeV through Gamow-Teller transitions, are identified. Individual Gamow-Teller transition strengths agree well with theoretical predictions of the interacting shell model and the quasiparticle random phase approximation. The absence of any sizable low-lying Gamow-Teller strength in the reported beta-decay experiment supports the hypothesis of a negligible role of coherent T=0 proton-neutron correlations in (62)Ga.

Elevated percentage of HLA-DR⁺ and ICAM-1⁺ conjunctival epithelial cells in active Graves' orbitopathy.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate if conjunctival epithelial cells' expression of HLA-DR and ICAM-1 could be helpful as early topical markers of inflammation in Graves' orbitopathy (GO). METHODS: The ocular examination evaluated a clinical activity score (CAS) by assessment of clinical features, (e.g., eyelid or conjunctival inflammation, lid width, lid closure, proptosis, ocular motility). Conjunctival epithelial cell specimens for flow-cytometric evaluations of ICAM-I and HLADR expression were collected by impression cytology from ten eyes with active GO (CAS ≥ 4 and duration ≤ 12 months), from 15 eyes with Graves' disease (GD) without active GO (CAS 0-2) and from 15 normal specimens without any ocular disorders. RESULTS: The percentage of HLA-DR + conjunctival epithelial cells was significantly elevated in patients with active GO comparing to GD without active GO and healthy controls, 10.7 % (8.5-17.7) and 7.78 % (3.92-10.1) (p < 0.05) vs. control 4.89 % (3.5-5.5) (p < 0.005), respectively. The expression of ICAM - 1+ conjunctival epithelial cells was greater only in patients with GO vs. controls, 5.5 % (4.8-7.03) and 1.46 % (0.69-2.51) (p < 0.005), respectively. CONCLUSION: The percentage of HLA-DR⁺ and ICAM-1⁺ conjunctival epithelial cells in patients with the active GO may serve as a topical inflammation marker in Graves' orbitopathy.

Direct observation of long-lived isomers in 212Bi.

Long-lived isomers in (212)Bi have been studied following (238)U projectile fragmentation at 670 MeV per nucleon. The fragmentation products were injected as highly charged ions into a storage ring, giving access to masses and half-lives. While the excitation energy of the first isomer of (212)Bi was confirmed, the second isomer was observed at 1478(30) keV, in contrast to the previously accepted value of >1910 keV. It was also found to have an extended Lorentz-corrected in-ring half-life >30 min, compared to 7.0(3) min for the neutral atom. Both the energy and half-life differences can be understood as being due a substantial, though previously unrecognized, internal decay branch for neutral atoms. Earlier shell-model calculations are now found to give good agreement with the isomer excitation energy. Furthermore, these and new calculations predict the existence of states at slightly higher energy that could facilitate isomer deexcitation studies.

Coulomb excitation of 104Sn and the strength of the 100Sn shell closure.

A measurement of the reduced transition probability for the excitation of the ground state to the first 2+ state in 104Sn has been performed using relativistic Coulomb excitation at GSI. 104Sn is the lightest isotope in the Sn chain for which this quantity has been measured. The result is a key point in the discussion of the evolution of nuclear structure in the proximity of the doubly magic nucleus 100Sn. The value B(E2; 0+ → 2+) = 0.10(4) e2b2 is significantly lower than earlier results for 106Sn and heavier isotopes. The result is well reproduced by shell model predictions and therefore indicates a robust N = Z = 50 shell closure.

Measurement of the dipole polarizability of the unstable neutron-rich nucleus 68Ni.

The E1 strength distribution in 68Ni has been investigated using Coulomb excitation in inverse kinematics at the R3B-LAND setup and by measuring the invariant mass in the one- and two-neutron decay channels. The giant dipole resonance and a low-lying peak (pygmy dipole resonance) have been observed at 17.1(2) and 9.55(17) MeV, respectively. The measured dipole polarizability is compared to relativistic random phase approximation calculations yielding a neutron-skin thickness of 0.17(2) fm. A method and analysis applicable to neutron-rich nuclei has been developed, allowing for a precise determination of neutron skins in nuclei as a function of neutron excess.

Glucocorticoids upregulate decreased IL-7 receptor expression in asthmatic patients and simian immunodeficiency virus-infected non-human primates.

Signaling through interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R) is essential for regulation of T-cell homeostasis and survival. Previously, we and others have found diminished IL-7R levels in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) - infected non-human primates and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) - infected patients. To date, it remains unknown whether changes in IL-7R expression could also be linked to non-infectious inflammatory diseases such as asthma or anti-inflammatory drug use. Here, we investigated through flow cytometry the levels of IL-7R expression on CD4+ and CD4- T-cells in asthmatic patients in relation to disease severity, immune status and glucocorticoid (GC) use. In addition, we sought to evaluate the effects of in vivo and in vitro GC treatment on IL-7R expression in both asthmatic patients and SIV-infected non-human primates. We demonstrated that expression of IL-7R on peripheral blood CD4+ T-cells was significantly decreased in clinically stable GC-naive mild and moderate asthmatic patients. Accordingly, the development of asthmatic reaction following bronchial allergen challenge performed in sensitized subjects was associated with a significant drop in levels of IL-7R on circulating CD4+ T-cells. In contrast, CD4+ T-cells from both, mild and moderate, but not severe asthmatics, treated with inhaled GC displayed levels of IL-7R similar to that seen in healthy controls. We did not find significant differences with serum or sputum interleukin-7 levels among healthy controls and GC-naïve and GC-treated asthmatic patients. Furthermore, both in vitro GC treatment and short-term oral GC administration to asthmatic patients resulted in a significant enhancement of IL-7R. Similarly, we demonstrated that GC-stimulated T-cells from SIV-infected non-human primates up-regulated IL-7R expression. Accordingly, experimental short-term systemic in vivo administration of GC to SIV-infected macaques led to enhancement of IL-7R expression on circulating T-cells. Our data indicate that GC bear potential to recover diminished IL-7R expression, as well in asthma as in lentiviral infection.

Ceramide metabolism is affected by obesity and diabetes in human adipose tissue.

Ceramide is involved in development of insulin resistance. However, there are no data on ceramide metabolism in human adipose tissue. The aim of our study was to examine sphingolipid metabolism in fat tissue from obese nondiabetic (n = 11), obese diabetic (n = 11), and lean nondiabetic (n = 8) subjects. The content of ceramide (Cer), dihydroceramide (dhCer), sphingosine (SPH), sphinganine (SPA), sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P; pmol/mg of protein), the expression (mRNA) and activity of key enzymes responsible for Cer metabolism: serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), neutral and acidic sphingomyelinase (nSMase and aSMase, respectively), and neutral and acidic ceramidase (nCDase and aCDase, respectively) were examined in human adipose tissue. The contents of SPA and Cer were significantly lower whereas the content of dhCer was higher in both obese groups than the respective values in the lean subjects. The expression of examined enzymes was elevated in both obese groups. The SPT and CDases activity increased whereas aSMase activity deceased in both obese groups. We have found correlation between adipose tissue Cer content and plasma adiponectin concentration (r = 0.69, P < 0.001) and negative correlation between total Cer content and HOMA-IR index (homeostasis model of insulin resistance) (r = -0.67, P < 0.001). We have found that both obesity and diabetes affected pathways of sphingolipid metabolism in the adipose tissue.

New isomers in the full seniority scheme of neutron-rich lead isotopes: the role of effective three-body forces.

The neutron-rich lead isotopes, up to (216)Pb, have been studied for the first time, exploiting the fragmentation of a primary uranium beam at the FRS-RISING setup at GSI. The observed isomeric states exhibit electromagnetic transition strengths which deviate from state-of-the-art shell-model calculations. It is shown that their complete description demands the introduction of effective three-body interactions and two-body transition operators in the conventional neutron valence space beyond (208)Pb.

Circulating CXCL9 and CXCL10 as markers of activity of Graves' orbitopathy during treatment with corticosteroids and teleradiotherapy.

The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of circulating chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 measurements as surrogate markers of GO activity and as a guideline in therapeutic decision-making. Forty-two individuals were divided into 4 groups: 1. 15 euthyroid patients with clinical symptoms of orbitopathy (GO) who underwent corticosteroid therapy consisting of intravenous infusions of methylprednisolone (MP) and teleradiotherapy (TR); 2. 10 patients with hyperthyroid GD (Gtx); 3. 10 patients with GD in euthyreosis (Geu); and 4. 7 healthy volunteers age and sex-matched to groups 1-3. The serum samples were collected 24 h before MP, 24 h after first dose of MP, before TR and at the end of therapy. Serum CXCL9 and CXCL10 were determined by ELISA and TSH-Rab by RIA. There were significant reductions in CXCL9 and CXCL10 serum concentrations during CS and TR treatment as compared both to control group and to basal values in GO patients. Moreover, CXCL9 concentration was significantly diminished in comparison to controls in GO patients who were identified later as corticosteroid-respondent (p<0.001). In this latter group of patients, CXCL9 was also found to be significantly reduced 24 h after first dose of MP as compared to non-respondents (p<0.02). The high-degree positive correlation between CXCL9 and CXCL10 was found (R=0.8; p<0.001). Our results suggest that the increased concentrations of CXCL9 (and CXCL10), at least in part, reflect the activity of orbital inflammation and therefore these chemokines could serve as a guideline in therapeutic decision-making in patients with Graves' orbitopathy.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling and ERK1/2 bistability in asthma.

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) integrate signals from numerous receptors and translate these signals into cell functions. MAPKs are critical for immune cell metabolism, migration, production of pro-inflammatory mediators, survival and differentiation. We provide a concise review of the involvement of MAPK in important cells of the immune system. Certain cell functions, e.g. production of pro-inflammatory mediators resolve quickly and may require a transient MAPK activation, other processes such as cell differentiation and long-term survival may require persistent MAPK signal. The persistent MAPK signal is frequently a consequence of positive feedback loops or double negative feedback loops which perpetuate the signal after removal of an external cell stimulus. This self-perpetuated activation of a signalling circuit is a manifestation of its bistability. Bistable systems can exist in 'on' and 'off' states and both states are stable. We have demonstrated the existence of self-perpetuated activation mechanism for ERK1/2 in bronchial epithelial cells. This sustained activation of ERK1/2 supports long-term survival of these cells and primes them for cytokine transcription. ERK1/2 bistability arises from repetitive stimulation of the cell. The repeated stimulation (e.g. repeated viral infection or repeated allergen exposure) seems to be a common theme in asthma and other chronic illnesses. We thus hypothesize that the self-perpetuated ERK1/2 signal plays an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma.