Migration of nuclear shell gaps studied in the d(24Ne,pγ)25Ne reaction.

The transfer of neutrons onto 24Ne has been measured using a reaccelerated radioactive beam of 24Ne to study the (d,p) reaction in inverse kinematics. The unusual raising of the first 3/2+ level in 25Ne and its significance in terms of the migration of the neutron magic number from N=20 to N=16 is put on a firm footing by confirmation of this state's identity. The raised 3/2+ level is observed simultaneously with the intruder negative parity 7/2- and 3/2- levels, providing evidence for the reduction in the N=20 gap. The coincident gamma-ray decays allowed the assignment of spins as well as the transferred orbital angular momentum. The excitation energy of the 3/2+ state shows that the established USD shell model breaks down well within the sd model space and requires a revised treatment of the proton-neutron monopole interaction.

Prevalência de anticorpos contra Leptospira spp. em bovinos, caninos, equinos, ovinos e suínos do município de Jaguapitã, estado do Paraná, Brasil / Prevalence of antibodies against Leptospira spp. in cattle, dogs, horses, sheep and swine of Jaguapitã, state of Paraná, Brazil

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a prevalência de anticorpos contra Leptospira spp. em bovinos, caninos, equinos, ovinos e suínos, oriundos de 40 propriedades localizadas na área rural do Município de Jaguapitã, Estado do Paraná. Foram colhidas amostras de sangue de 370 bovinos, 161 equinos, 70 ovinos, 230 suínos e 97 caninos. O número de animais testados em cada propriedade, assim como o número de propriedades, foi determinado utilizando-se o programa Epi-info versão 6. As amostras de soros obtidas foram submetidas à prova de soroaglutinação microscópica (SAM) com 22 sorovares de Leptospira spp. Das 40 propriedades rurais pesquisadas, 38 (95,00%) tiveram pelo menos um animal sororeagente na SAM e dos 928 animais estudados, 316 (34,08%) apresentaram títulos ? 100. A prevalência observada na espécie bovina foi de 42,43%, com 87,18% das propriedades apresentando pelo menos um animal sororeagente. As prevalências de animais e propriedades reagentes para as demais espécies foram, respectivamente, 48,44% e 87,18% para equinos; 38,57% e 100% para ovinos; 18,70% e 28,00% para suínos; 11,34% e 31,25% para cães. O sorovar mais provável encontrado em bovinos foi Hardjo, em equinos Castellonis e Sentot, em ovinos, suínos e cães Icterohaemorrhagiae. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho demonstram que as cinco espécies animais estudadas na área rural do Município de Jaguapitã tiveram contato com vários sorovares de Leptospira spp. Além disso, os resultados sorológicos sugerem uma possível transmissão do micro-organismo entre espécies animais, provavelmente em decorrência da exposição às mesmas fontes de infecção entre os animais estudados.

The objective of this work was to determine the prevalence of antibodies against Leptospira spp. in cattle, dogs, horses, sheep and swine from 40 properties located in the rural area of Jaguapitã, state of Paraná, Brazil. Blood samples were taken from 370 cattle, 97 dogs, 161 horses, 70 sheep and 230 swine. The number of animals tested on each property, as well as the number of properties was determined using the program Epi-info version 6. Samples of serum were submitted to microscopic agglutination test (MAT) with 22 Leptospira spp. serovars. From the 40 rural properties investigated, 38 (95.00%) had at least one positive animal according to SAM, and from 928 studied animals, 316 (34.08%) presented titers ? 100. The prevalence observed in the bovine species was 42.43%, with 87.18% of the properties presenting at least one positive animal. The prevalence of animals and properties reactive for the other species were, respectively: 48.44% and 87.18% for horses; 38.57% and 100% for sheep; 18.70% and 28.00% for swine; 11.34% and 31.25% for dogs. The most frequent serovar in bovines was Hardjo, in horses Castellonis and Sentot, in sheep, swine and dogs Icterohaemorrhagiae. The results obtained in this study demonstrated that the 5 studied animal species in the rural area of Jaguapitã had contact with several Leptospira spp. serovars. Moreover, serological results suggest a possible transmission of Leptospira spp. between animal species, probably because of exposure to the same sources of infection among the animals studied.

Valores hematológicos de bugios pretos (Alouatta caraya) de vida livre da região do Alto Rio Paraná, sul do Brasil / Hematologic values of free-ranging black-and-gold howlers monkeys (Alouatta caraya) from the region of Upper Paraná River, Southern Brazil

Descreveram-se os valores hematológicos de bugios pretos (Alouatta caraya) e estabeleceram-se diferenças entre sexo e idade, de 36 animais aparentemente saudáveis, de vida livre da região do Alto Rio Paraná, sul do Brasil. Os animais foram capturados e contidos quimicamente com cloridrato de tiletamina e cloridrato de zolazepam, na dose média de 5,5mg/kg, por via intramuscular. Na comparação entre os sexos, houve diferença para número de hemácias (4,48±1,36 e 3,58±0,91 x10(6)/mm³), maior nas fêmeas, e volume globular médio (90,99±27,65 e 118,36±44,63fL) e número de eosinófilos (0,30±0,24 e 0,76±0,85 x10³/mm³), maior nos machos. O volume globular (39,46±3,53 e 36,69±3,54 por cento) e a proteína total plasmática (7,91±0,53 e 7,40±0,63g/dL) foram significativamente mais baixos nos animais jovens.

The hematologic values and the influence of gender and age were described in 36 free-ranging healthy black-and-gold howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) from the region of Paraná river, Southern Brazil. The animals were caught with trap models and intramuscularly anesthetized with 5.5mg/kg tilitamine/zolazepam hydrochlorides. The red blood cells were higher in females (4.48±1,36 vs. 3.58±0.91x10(6)/mm³) while mean corpuscular volume (90.99±27.65 and 118.36±44.63 fL) and eosinophils (0.30±0.24 and 0.76±0.85x10³/mm³) were significant higher in males. The packed cell volume (39.46±3.53 and 36.69±3.54 percent) and plasma total protein (7.91±0.53 and 7.40±0.63g/dL) were lower in juveniles.

Structure of neutron-rich Ar isotopes beyond N = 28.

Results from the gamma-ray spectroscopy of {47,48}Ar exemplifying new limits of sensitivity for characterizing neutron-rich nuclei at energies around the Coulomb barrier are presented. The present results, along with interacting shell model calculations, highlight the role of cross-shell excitations and indicate the presence of a nonaxial deformation in 48Ar.

Characterization of proton and heavier ion acceleration in ultrahigh-intensity laser interactions with heated target foils.

Proton and heavy ion acceleration in ultrahigh intensity ( approximately 2 x 10(20) W cm(-2) ) laser plasma interactions has been investigated using the new petawatt arm of the VULCAN laser. Nuclear activation techniques have been applied to make the first spatially integrated measurements of both proton and heavy ion acceleration from the same laser shots with heated and unheated Fe foil targets. Fe ions with energies greater than 10 MeV per nucleon have been observed. Effects of target heating on the accelerated ion energy spectra and the laser-to-ion energy conversion efficiencies are discussed. The laser-driven production of the long-lived isotope (57 )Co (271 days) via a heavy ion induced reaction is demonstrated.

Demonstration of fusion-evaporation and direct-interaction nuclear reactions using high-intensity laser-plasma-accelerated ion beams.

Heavy-ion induced nuclear reactions in materials exposed to energetic ions produced from high-intensity (approximately 5 x 10(19) W/cm(2)) laser-solid interactions have been experimentally investigated for the first time. Many of the radionuclides produced result from the creation of "compound nuclei" with the subsequent evaporation of proton, neutron, and alpha particles. Results are compared with previous measurements with monochromatic ion beams from a conventional accelerator. Measured nuclide yields are used to diagnose the acceleration of ions from laser-ablated plasma to energies greater than 100 MeV.

Evidence for second-phonon nuclear wobbling.

The nucleus 163Lu has been populated through the reaction 139La(29Si,5n) with a beam energy of 157 MeV. Three triaxial, strongly deformed (TSD) bands have been observed with very similar rotational properties. The first excited TSD band has earlier been assigned as a one-phonon wobbling excitation built on the lowest-lying (yrast) TSD band. The large B(E2)(out)/B(E2)(in) value obtainable for one of four observed transitions between the second and first excited TSD bands is in good agreement with particle-rotor calculations for a two-phonon wobbling excitation.

Evidence for the wobbling mode in nuclei.

The nucleus (163)Lu has been populated through the fusion-evaporation reaction (139)La((29)Si,5n)(163)Lu with a beam energy of 152 MeV. The electromagnetic properties of several connecting transitions between two presumably triaxial, strongly deformed (TSD) bands have been studied. Evidence is presented for the assignment of the excited TSD band as a wobbling mode built on the yrast TSD band, based on comparisons to new calculations in which an aligned particle is coupled to a strongly deformed triaxial rotor. The wobbling mode is uniquely related to triaxiality in nuclei.