Direct proton-knockout reactions of 55Sc at ∼ 220 MeV / nucleon were studied at the RIKEN Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory. Populated states of 54Ca were investigated through γ -ray and ...invariant-mass spectroscopy. Level energies were calculated from the nuclear shell model employing a phenomenological internucleon interaction. Theoretical cross sections to states were calculated from distorted-wave impulse approximation estimates multiplied by the shell model spectroscopic factors, which describe the wave function overlap of the 55Sc ground state with states in 54Ca . Despite the calculations showing a significant amplitude of excited neutron configurations in the ground-state of 55Sc , valence proton removals populated predominantly the ground state of 54Ca . This counterintuitive result is attributed to pairing effects leading to a dominance of the ground-state spectroscopic factor. Owing to the ubiquity of the pairing interaction, this argument should be generally applicable to direct knockout reactions from odd-even to even-even nuclei.
The Acute Myocardial Infarction STudy of ADenosine (AMISTAD) trial was designed to test the hypothesis that adenosine as an adjunct to thrombolysis would reduce myocardial infarct size.
Reperfusion ...therapy for acute myocardial infarction (MI) has been shown to reduce mortality, but reperfusion itself also may have deleterious effects.
The AMISTAD trial was a prospective, open-label trial of thrombolysis with randomization to adenosine or placebo in 236 patients within 6 h of infarction onset. The primary end point was infarct size as determined by Tc-99 m sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging 6+/-1 days after enrollment based on multivariable regression modeling to adjust for covariates. Secondary end points were myocardial salvage index and a composite of in-hospital clinical outcomes (death, reinfarction, shock, congestive heart failure or stroke).
In all, 236 patients were enrolled. Final infarct size was assessed in 197 (83%) patients. There was a 33% relative reduction in infarct size (p = 0.03) with adenosine. There was a 67% relative reduction in infarct size in patients with anterior infarction (15% in the adenosine group vs. 45.5% in the placebo group) but no reduction in patients with infarcts located elsewhere (11.5% for both groups). Patients randomized to adenosine tended to reach the composite clinical end point more often than those assigned to placebo (22% vs. 16%; odds ratio, 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 0.71 to 2.89).
Many agents thought to attenuate reperfusion injury have been unsuccessful in clinical investigation. In this study, adenosine resulted in a significant reduction in infarct size. These data support the need for a large clinical outcome trial.
Obesity in children and adolescents is a severe health, psychosocial, and economic problem. Treatment of obesity should be based on the physiology, biochemistry, and genetics of the disease. ...Treatment is designed to prevent the comorbidities of obesity and allow a healthy, high-quality, and productive life. Treatment is based on healthy living and usually involves tools such as pharmacotherapy, medical device therapy, and bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery is not acceptable to most patients, parents, primary care providers, and payers. The most successful treatment of obesity follows a chronic disease model, provides a continuum of care, and involves many different disciplines.
Excited states in 56Zn were populated following one-neutron removal from a 57Zn beam impinging on a Be target at intermediate energies in an experiment conducted at the Radioactive Isotope Beam ...Factory at RIKEN. Three γ rays were observed and tentatively assigned to the 6+→4+→2+→0+ yrast sequence. This turns 56Zn into the heaviest Tz=−2 nucleus in which excited states are known. The excitation-energy differences between these levels and the isobaric analogue states in the Tz=+2 mirror partner, 56Fe, are compared with large-scale shell-model calculations considering the full pf valence space and various isospin-breaking contributions. This comparison, together with an analysis of the mirror energy differences in the A=58, Tz=±1 pair 58Zn and 58Ni, provides valuable information with respect to the size of the monopole radial and the isovector multipole isospin-breaking terms in the region above doubly-magic 56Ni.
Introduction
An abundance of research investigates the health of often referred to as “at risk” or “high risk” youth from underserved communities and usually racial/ethnic minorities. These ...ubiquitous terms relate to poverty, violence, and unsafe behaviors (e.g., sex without condoms, alcohol, and drug use).
Methods
This analysis distinguished the heterogeneity of risks among African American female adolescents recruited for an intervention study from underserved communities in North Carolina. Eligibility included: ages 16–19, considered or dropped out of school, never completed high school, and during the past 3 months had sex with a male partner and used drugs or alcohol. A variable was created to represent the continuum of risk comprised of history of homelessness, or trading sex, or current heavy alcohol and marijuana use. Participants fell into 0, 1, or 2–3 categories. Ordinal logistic regression estimated the odds of adverse poor outcomes by category. Linear regression estimated reduction in material and emotional support by category.
Results
Of the 237 participants, 59.5%, 27.8%, and 12.7% were in 0, 1, or 2–3 categories, respectively. Relative to adolescents in 0 categories, participants in other categories were more likely to report food insecurity (OR = 3.27, 95%CI 1.8, 5.94); past arrest (OR = 3.56 2.08, 6.09); run away (OR = 3.30 1.79, 6.10); multiple sex partners (2.97 1.61, 5.48); and vaginal/anal sexual abuse (OR = 3.211.73, 5.96). Material and emotional support was significantly lower for participants in 2–3 risk categories.
Conclusions
Vague use of “at risk” fails to recognize the heterogeneity of experiences and needs of underserved African American youth.
EURICA is a project at RIKEN Nishina Center aimed at studying a wide range of exotic nuclei through β-decay measurements and high-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy. The setup is located behind the ...BigRIPS fragment separator and the ZeroDegree spectrometer at the RIBF. EURICA consists of the HPGe cluster detectors from the previous Euroball and RISING projects, together with double-sided silicon-strip detectors for β-decay counting and lifetime measurements. In total, this setup provides us with the possibility to study several aspects of the exotic nuclei produced at the RIBF.
Background. There is a high prevalence of substance use among youth in South Africa (SA), and adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) experience high rates of depression and anxiety. Substance use ...behaviours and mental health are associated with other public health problems among AGYW such as HIV and unintended pregnancy. Therefore, understanding the relationship between substance use and mental health is imperative to improve AGYW's health. Objectives. To examine the association between heavy drinking, marijuana, methamphetamine and methaqualone (Mandrax) use and depressive and anxiety symptoms among AGYW aged 16 - 19 years who have dropped out of school in Cape Town, SA. Methods. Data for this report come from the baseline data of 500 participants of an ongoing cluster-randomised trial assessing the efficacy of a young woman-focused intervention to reduce substance use and HIV risk. After AGYW consented/assented to participate, they completed a urine drug screen and a baseline questionnaire. Results. Logistic and negative binomial regressions, controlling for clustering at the neighbourhood level, revealed that frequency of depressive symptoms was significantly and positively related to a positive drug screen for Mandrax (β=0.07; p=0.03). All other associations between the frequency of depressive symptoms and substance use were not statistically significant (ps>0.05). The associations between frequency of anxiety symptoms and substance use were not statistically significant (ps>0.05). Conclusions. Our findings highlight the need to address substance use, especially Mandrax use and its associated risk, and depression in an integrated, youth-friendly setting.
Learning autonomous vehicle programming can be very challenging for students, especially when combined with robotic vehicle design and construction. This paper presents a methodology successfully ...used over the past six years to teach autonomy using a versatile platform built upon a commercially available product. A number of courses have been taught using the methodology at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students' ability to successfully learn and produce a solution to an autonomous robot control challenge has shown to be very effective.
In South Africa (SA), adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15 - 24 years account for nearly 25% of all new HIV infections in the country. The intersection of substance use and sexual risk ...continues to drive the HIV epidemic among AGYW. For example, methaqualone, also known as Mandrax, has sedative effects that may affect women’s ability to negotiate condom use during sex, refuse sex without a condom, or consent to sex, thereby increasing their risk for HIV. Consequently, it is critical to understand how Mandrax use affects HIV risk among AGYW and to assess awareness of and willingness to use biomedical HIV prevention methods, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), among AGYW who use Mandrax. To examine the role of Mandrax use in sexual behaviours and investigate the extent to which AGYW who use Mandrax are aware of and willing to initiate PrEP. Data for this report were derived from baseline and 6-month follow-up data provided by 500 AGYW participating in a cluster-randomised trial assessing the efficacy of a young woman-focused intervention to reduce substance use and HIV risk. AGYW who self-identified as black African or coloured, reported using substances, reported condomless sex in the past 3 months, and had discontinued school early were recruited from 24 community clusters across Cape Town, SA. Following consent/assent, participants provided biological specimens to test for recent drug use (including Mandrax) and completed the self-report questionnaire.Logistic regression analysis revealed that the AGYW who had a positive test result for Mandrax use were less likely to use a condom with their main partner (p=0.01), and almost three times more likely to use alcohol and/or other drugs before or during their last act of sexual intercourse (p0.10) or willingness to use PrEP (p>0.10), but 70% of AGYW who used Mandrax were willing to initiate PrEP.The study findings highlight how Mandrax use may contribute to HIV risk among SA AGYW. Key decision-makers should consider incorporating substance use prevention efforts into existing HIV reduction programmes and equip youth-friendly clinics with the resources to identify AGYW who use Mandrax and offer them PrEP.
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