Reduced occupancy of the deeply bound 0d(5/2) neutron state in 32Ar

The 9Be(32Ar, 31Ar)X reaction, leading to the 5/2+ ground state of a nucleus at the proton drip line, has a cross section of 10.4(13) mb at a beam energy of 65.1 MeV/nucleon. This translates into a spectroscopic factor that is only 24(3)% of that predicted by the many-body shell-model theory. We introduce refinements to the eikonal reaction theory used to extract the spectroscopic factor to clarify that this very strong reduction represents an effect of nuclear structure. We suggest that it reflects correlation effects linked to the high neutron separation energy (22.0 MeV) for this state.     

High resolution spectroscopy of (lambda)(12)B by electroproduction

An experiment measuring electroproduction of hypernuclei has been performed in hall A at Jefferson Lab on a 12C target. In order to increase counting rates and provide unambiguous kaon identification two superconducting septum magnets and a ring imaging Cherenkov detector were added to the hall A standard equipment. An unprecedented energy resolution of less than 700 keV FWHM has been achieved. Thus, the observed (Lambda)(12)B spectrum shows for the first time identifiable strength in the core-excited region between the ground-state s-wave Lambda peak and the 11 MeV p-wave Lambda peak.     

Robustness of fat quantification using chemical shift imaging

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of parameter changes that can potentially lead to unreliable measurements in fat quantification. Chemical shift imaging was performed using spoiled gradient echo sequences with systematic variations in the following: two-dimensional/three-dimensional sequence, number of echoes, delta echo time, fractional echo factor, slice thickness, repetition time, flip angle, bandwidth, matrix size, flow compensation and field strength. Results indicated no significant (or significant but small) changes in fat fraction with parameter. The significant changes can be attributed to the known effects of T1 bias and two forms of noise bias.     

3D ultrasound reconstruction algorithms from analog and digital data

Freehand 3D ultrasound is increasingly being introduced in the clinic for diagnostics and image-assisted interventions. Various algorithms exist for combining 2D images of regular ultrasound probes to 3D volumes, being either voxel-, pixel- or function-based. Previously, the most commonly used input to 3D ultrasound reconstruction has been digitized analog video. However, recent scanners that offer access to digital image frames exist, either as processed or unprocessed data. To our knowledge, no comparison has been performed to determine which data source gives the best reconstruction quality. In the present study we compared both reconstruction algorithms and data sources using novel comparison methods for detecting potential differences in image quality of the reconstructed volumes. The ultrasound scanner used in this study was the Sonix RP from Ultrasonix Medical Corp (Richmond, Canada), a scanner that allow third party access to unprocessed and processed digital data. The ultrasound probe used was the L14-5/38 linear probe. The assessment is based on a number of image criteria: detectability of wire targets, spatial resolution, detectability of small barely visible structures, subjective tissue image quality, and volume geometry. In addition we have also performed the more “traditional” comparison of reconstructed volumes by removing a percentage of the input data. By using these evaluation methods and data from the specific scanner, the results showed that the processed video performed better than the digital scan-line data, digital video being better than analog video. Furthermore, the results showed that the choice of video source was more important than the choice of tested reconstruction algorithms.     

Towards a programmable magnetic bead microarray in a microfluidic channel

A new hybrid magnetic bead separator that combines an external magnetic field with 175 μm thick current lines buried in the back side of a silicon wafer is presented. A microfluidic channel was etched into the front side of the wafer. The large cross-section of the current lines makes it possible to use larger currents and obtain forces of longer range than from thin current lines at a given power limit. Guiding of magnetic beads in the hybrid magnetic separator and the construction of a programmable microarray of magnetic beads in the microfluidic channel by hydrodynamic focusing is presented.     

A moving zone of quiet for narrowband noise in a one-dimensional duct using virtual sensing

A frequent problem in active noise control is that the zone of quiet created at the error sensor tends to be very small. This means that the error sensor generally needs to be located close to an observer's ear, which might not always be a convenient or feasible solution. Virtual sensing is a method that can move the zone of quiet away from the error sensor to a desired location that is spatially fixed. This method has been investigated previously, and has shown potential to improve the performance of an active noise control system. However, it is very likely that the desired location of the zone of quiet is not spatially fixed. An active noise control system incorporating a virtual sensing method thus has to be able to create a moving zone of quiet that tracks the observer's ears. This paper presents a method for creating a moving zone of quiet based on the LMS virtual microphone technique. To illustrate the proposed method, it is implemented in an acoustic duct and narrowband control results are presented. These results show that a moving zone of quiet was effectively created inside the duct for narrowband noise.     

Adaptive behaviour of the spinal cord in the transition from quiet stance to walking

Background

Parkinson??s disease is characterized by a continuous loss of neurons within the substantia nigra (SN) leading to a depletion of dopamine. Within the adult SN as a non-neurogenic region, cells with mainly oligodendrocytic precursor characteristics, expressing the neuro-glial antigen-2 (NG2) are continuously generated. Proliferation of these cells is altered in animal models of Parkinson??s disease (PD). Exercise and environmental enrichment re-increase proliferation of NG2⁺ cells in PD models, however, a possible mechanistic role of dopamine for this increase is not completely understood. NG2⁺ cells can differentiate into oligodendrocytes but also into microglia and neurons as observed in vitro suggesting a possible hint for endogenous regenerative capacity of the SN. We investigated the role of dopamine in NG2-generation and differentiation in the adult SN stimulated by physical activity and environmental enrichment.

Results

We used the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-model for dopamine depletion and analysed newborn cells in the SN at different maturation stages and time points depending on voluntary physical activity, enriched environment and levodopa-treatment. We describe an activity- induced increase of new NG2-positive cells and also mature oligodendrocytes in the SN of healthy mice. Running and enriched environment refused to stimulate NG2-generation and oligodendrogenesis in MPTP-mice, an effect which could be reversed by pharmacological levodopa-induced rescue.

Conclusion

We suggest dopamine being a key regulator for activity-induced generation of NG2-cells and oliogodendrocytes in the SN as a potentially relevant mechanism in endogenous nigral cellular plasticity.     

High pressure neutron diffraction to beyond 20 GPa and below 1.8 K using Paris-Edinburgh load frames

We describe a method for collecting neutron diffraction patterns simultaneously at high pressure (>22?GPa) and low temperature (<1.8?K). The system uses ～5–10?mm³ samples compressed by double-toroidal sintered diamond anvils, with the required forces generated by a Paris-Edinburgh press of 30?kg mass. Technical details are given and diffraction data of ε-iron at 22.6?GPa and 1.79?K are presented.     

First Measurement of the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn Sum Rule for 1H from 0.7 to 1.8 GeV at ELSA

To verify the fundamental Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn (GDH) sum rule for the first time experimentally, we measured the helicity dependent total photoabsorption cross section with circularly polarized real photons and longitudinally polarized nucleons in the photon energy range 0.68-1.82 GeV with the tagged photon facility at ELSA. The experiment was carried out with a 4pi detection system, a circularly polarized tagged photon beam, and a frozen spin polarized proton target. The contribution to the GDH sum rule in this photon energy range is [49.9+/-2.4(stat)+/-2.2(syst)] microb.