Shape Coexistence at Zero Spin in

The low-spin structure of the semimagic ^{64}Ni nucleus has been considerably expanded: combining four experiments, several 0^{+} and 2^{+} excited states were identified below 4.5 MeV, and their properties established. The Monte Carlo shell model accounts for the results and unveils an unexpectedly complex landscape of coexisting shapes: a prolate 0^{+} excitation is located at a surprisingly high energy (3463 keV), with a collective 2^{+} state 286 keV above it, the first such observation in Ni isotopes. The evolution in excitation energy of the prolate minimum across the neutron N=40 subshell gap highlights the impact of the monopole interaction and its variation in strength with N.

The extreme light infrastructure-nuclear physics (ELI-NP) facility: new horizons in physics with 10 PW ultra-intense lasers and 20 MeV brilliant gamma beams.

The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) has selected in 2006 a proposal based on ultra-intense laser fields with intensities reaching up to 1022-1023 W cm-2 called 'ELI' for Extreme Light Infrastructure. The construction of a large-scale laser-centred, distributed pan-European research infrastructure, involving beyond the state-of-the-art ultra-short and ultra-intense laser technologies, received the approval for funding in 2011-2012. The three pillars of the ELI facility are being built in Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. The Romanian pillar is ELI-Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP). The new facility is intended to serve a broad national, European and International science community. Its mission covers scientific research at the frontier of knowledge involving two domains. The first one is laser-driven experiments related to nuclear physics, strong-field quantum electrodynamics and associated vacuum effects. The second is based on a Compton backscattering high-brilliance and intense low-energy gamma beam (<20 MeV), a marriage of laser and accelerator technology which will allow us to investigate nuclear structure and reactions as well as nuclear astrophysics with unprecedented resolution and accuracy. In addition to fundamental themes, a large number of applications with significant societal impact are being developed. The ELI-NP research centre will be located in Magurele near Bucharest, Romania. The project is implemented by 'Horia Hulubei' National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH). The project started in January 2013 and the new facility will be fully operational by the end of 2019. After a short introduction to multi-PW lasers and multi-MeV brilliant gamma beam scientific and technical description of the future ELI-NP facility as well as the present status of its implementation of ELI-NP, will be presented. The science and examples of societal applications at reach with these electromagnetic probes with much improved performances provided at this new facility will be discussed with a special focus on day-one experiments and associated novel instrumentation.

Intraoperative transfusion practices in Europe.

BACKGROUND: Transfusion of allogeneic blood influences outcome after surgery. Despite widespread availability of transfusion guidelines, transfusion practices might vary among physicians, departments, hospitals and countries. Our aim was to determine the amount of packed red blood cells (pRBC) and blood products transfused intraoperatively, and to describe factors determining transfusion throughout Europe. METHODS: We did a prospective observational cohort study enrolling 5803 patients in 126 European centres that received at least one pRBC unit intraoperatively, during a continuous three month period in 2013. RESULTS: The overall intraoperative transfusion rate was 1.8%; 59% of transfusions were at least partially initiated as a result of a physiological transfusion trigger- mostly because of hypotension (55.4%) and/or tachycardia (30.7%). Haemoglobin (Hb)- based transfusion trigger alone initiated only 8.5% of transfusions. The Hb concentration [mean (sd)] just before transfusion was 8.1 (1.7) g dl(-1) and increased to 9.8 (1.8) g dl(-1) after transfusion. The mean number of intraoperatively transfused pRBC units was 2.5 (2.7) units (median 2). CONCLUSION: Although European Society of Anaesthesiology transfusion guidelines are moderately implemented in Europe with respect to Hb threshold for transfusion (7-9 g dl(-1)), there is still an urgent need for further educational efforts that focus on the number of pRBC units to be transfused at this threshold. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT 01604083.

Surgical Management of Type A Acute Aortic Dissection in Patients With Marfan Syndrome: A Single Center Experience.

Introduction: Acute aortic dissection is the most common cause of death in patients with Marfan syndrome and untreated aortic root enlargement. Emergency surgery for replacement of the ascending aorta has the potential of life saving procedure, but is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Long-term outcomes after surgical repair of acute aortic dissection type A in patients with Marfan syndrome are limited. Material and methods: We made a retrospective study concerning emergency surgical intervention for acute aortic dissection type A, by Bentall procedure, performed in Emergency Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases "Prof dr. C. C. Iliescu" Bucharest between January 2005 and July 2014. We included 332 patients with type a acute aortic dissection divided into two groups: group A - 16 patients with Marfan syndrome and group B - 316 patients with other etiologies. We analyzed differences between these two groups regarding perioperative characteristics, surgical technique and short and long-term morbidity and mortality. Results: The patients from group A were significantly younger than those in group B (35.1±12.7 years vs. 56.8±7.1 years; p<0.001). Arterial hypertension was three times more common in group B as compared to group A (p<0.001). The incidence of postoperative morbidity, and intraoperative and 30-days mortality death rates were similar between groups, but overall mortality at 10 years was lower in group A (31.3%) vs. group B (44.9 %). Conclusions: Emergency surgical in Marfan syndrome, by Bentall procedure could improve perioperative morbidity and mortality of patients with acute aortic dissection, but need an early diagnosis, proper medical therapy and imagistic surveillance.

Evidence for a smooth onset of deformation in the neutron-rich Kr isotopes.

The neutron-rich nuclei 94,96Kr were studied via projectile Coulomb excitation at the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN. Level energies of the first excited 2(+) states and their absolute E2 transition strengths to the ground state are determined and discussed in the context of the E(2(1)(+)) and B(E2;2(1)(+)→0(1)(+)) systematics of the krypton chain. Contrary to previously published results no sudden onset of deformation is observed. This experimental result is supported by a new proton-neutron interacting boson model calculation based on the constrained Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov approach using the microscopic Gogny-D1M energy density functional.

Gamma-ray fast-timing coincidence measurements from the 18O+18O fusion-evaporation reaction using a mixed LaBr3-HPGe array.

We report on a gamma-ray coincidence analysis using a mixed array of hyperpure germanium and cerium-doped lanthanum tri-bromide (LaBr3:Ce) scintillation detectors to study nuclear electromagnetic transition rates in the pico-to-nanosecond time regime in 33,34P and 33S following fusion-evaporation reactions between an 18O beam and an isotopically enriched 18O implanted tantalum target. Energies from decay gamma-rays associated with the reaction residues were measured in event-by-event coincidence mode, with the measured time difference information between the pairs of gamma-rays in each event also recorded using the ultra-fast coincidence timing technique. The experiment used the good full-energy peak resolution of the LaBr3:Ce detectors coupled with their excellent timing responses in order to determine the excited state lifetime associated with the lowest lying, cross-shell, Iπ=4- "intruder" state previously reported in the N=19 isotone 34P. The extracted lifetime is consistent with a mainly single-particle M2 multipolarity associated with a f7/2→d5/2 single particle transition.

[Traumatic lesions of the upper extremity from shooting oneself with a bolt gun]. / Leziuni traumatice ale membrului superior prin autoîmpuscare cu pistoletul de bolturi.

Seven clinical observations are presented, illustrating the great diversity of traumatic lesions of the upper limb resulting from accidental self-shooting with bolt pistol. Although such accidents are rare a series of therapeutical attitudes, sometimes quite complex, are described.