Approaching the Gamow Window with Stored Ions: Direct Measurement of

We report the first measurement of low-energy proton-capture cross sections of ^{124}Xe in a heavy-ion storage ring. ^{124}Xe^{54+} ions of five different beam energies between 5.5 and 8 AMeV were stored to collide with a windowless hydrogen target. The ^{125}Cs reaction products were directly detected. The interaction energies are located on the high energy tail of the Gamow window for hot, explosive scenarios such as supernovae and x-ray binaries. The results serve as an important test of predicted astrophysical reaction rates in this mass range. Good agreement in the prediction of the astrophysically important proton width at low energy is found, with only a 30% difference between measurement and theory. Larger deviations are found above the neutron emission threshold, where also neutron and γ widths significantly impact the cross sections. The newly established experimental method is a very powerful tool to investigate nuclear reactions on rare ion beams at low center-of-mass energies.

A reciprocating optical in situ tribometer with high-speed data acquisition.

Tribology is the science of interacting surfaces in relative motion. Processes like the transition from static to dynamic friction are fast and complex, especially as the contacting interface is buried. A direct view at the interface, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the interaction between the materials, is therefore of great interest. The reciprocating optical in situ tribometer introduced here observes the interface of two contacting materials (one of them being optical transparent) with a high-speed camera, taking up to 230 000 frames per second. The camera is attached to an optical microscope with a magnification of up to 2500 times. Friction forces are measured by an analog laser detection setup, with a maximum sampling rate of 500 kHz. The sliding motion of the materials is realized by two displacement units. A linear positioning stage allows velocities between 500 nm/s and 100 mm/s for a maximum distance of 200 mm. For smaller velocities, and to exclude breakaway torque, a piezo actuator can be used. The maximum displacement distance of the piezo actuator is 120 µm. The smallest applicable normal load on the samples is 0.5 N which is applied by the dead weights. Tribological experiments to investigate the transition from static to dynamic friction have been performed with morphologically textured brass hemispheres in contact with the sapphire discs. Sapphire was chosen for its high hardness and optical transparency. These experiments revealed, due to the high data acquisition possible with the new setup, a so far unobserved effect during the transition from static to dynamic friction.

[Medical radiation exposure and justification at a large teaching hospital: comparison of radiation-related and disease-related risks]. / Medizinische Strahlenexposition und ihre Rechtfertigung an einem Grossklinikum: Vergleich von strahlungs- und krankheitsbedingtem Risiko.

PURPOSE: The medical X-ray exposure was determined in a 2400-bed hospital. The radiation-related risk was compared with the severity of disease (ICD) to verify the justification for X-ray procedures. A model to estimate radiation and disease-related "loss of lifetime" was applied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: X-ray exposure from radiography, fluoroscopy and CT was determined for diagnostic and interventional procedures during one hospital stay of 403 patients (0.5 % of all 80 000 patients/year). CTDI and DLP in CT, DAP in fluoroscopy or SED in radiography were used to calculate the effective dose (ED). The disease and radiation-related risk were compared with a simple "loss of lifetime" model. RESULTS: The mean age of all patients was 60. Only a subgroup of 170 patients (42 %) with a mean age of 67.6 had one or more X-ray procedures. The average ED of these exposed patients was 5.12 mSv. 14.4 % CT examinations had a dose contribution of 52.5 % followed by 5.3 % radiology and cardiology procedures at 37.2 %. 90 % of ED was applied to only 44 patients (11 %) and 50 % of ED was applied to only 10 patients (2.5 %) with a mean age of 71.2. 4 of these 10 patients had malignant tumors, the other 6 suffered from pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, stent-graft infection, CAD, Crohn's disease and severe hypertension. The ratio of disease vs. radiation-related risk was between 2.1 : 1 and 1800 : 1. CONCLUSION: In this study referral for justified X-ray procedures in a large hospital with high level medical care offers a significant patient benefit.

[Electrophysiological anti-arrhythmia effects of tiracizine in ventricular tachycardia]. / Elektrophysiologische und antiarrhythmische Effekte von Tiracizin bei ventrikulären Tachykardien.

The electrophysiologic effects and antiarrhythmic efficacy of tiracizine, a new class I antiarrhythmic drug, were studied in 16 patients with documented sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) after intravenous drug application and in 6 patients after oral drug administration by means of programmed ventricular stimulation (PVS). After intravenous tiracizine (0.3 mg/kg) the VT was no longer inducible by PVS in 3 of 16 patients and became nonsustained in another patient. In 11 of 13 patients with further inducible VT the cycle duration of VT increased after tiracizine (mean 29 ms). After oral tiracizine (150-225 mg/day) the VT induction was suppressed in one patient. In a second patient the VT became nonsustained. Cycle length of VT in 4 patients with persistent induction of VT was longer after therapy (mean 88 ms). Antiarrhythmic efficacy of intravenous or oral tiracizine can be expected in at least one third of patients with VT.

[Polysaccharide additives in foods rich in proteins II. A simple, semi-quantitative technique of estimation (author's transl)]. / Polysaccharidzusätze in eiweissreichen Lebensmitteln. II. Eine einfache, semiquantitative Bestimmungstechnik

Samples of foods rich in protein, after removal of lipids and of proteins by enzymatic hydrolysis, are partially demineralized and concentrated. In the concentrate polysaccharides are detected and semi-quantitively estimated by performing the precipitations in graduated tubes, which are especially suitable for this purpose, and the precipitates taken to comparable densities by centrifugation under standard conditions.

[Polysaccharide additives in foods rich in proteins. i Sample preparation for estimation, especially in fresh cheese (author's transl)]. / Polysaccharidzusätze in eiweissreichen Lebensmitteln. I. Probenaufbereitung für die Bestimmung, speziell in Frischksen

Published procedures for the isolation of polysaccharides from foods rich in proteins, especially fresh cheese, proved not very useful for the concentration in question (0,01--0.2%). We, instead, propose the following sample preparation: 1. Removal of lipids by an ethanol--ethyl ether--petrol ether mixture; 2. complete hydrolysis of proteins with pepsin, pronase E and a mixture of aminopeptidase M and prolidase; 3. separation of the polysaccharides from the low molecular substances and from enzyme residues by gel filtration on Biogel P-2; 4. concentration of the polysaccharides containing fraction by freeze drying, ultrafiltration or evaporation. --The method was tested with quarg and double cream fresh cheese, it can, however, be adopted to use in other products.