Comprehensive Test of the Brink-Axel Hypothesis in the Energy Region of the Pygmy Dipole Resonance.

The validity of the Brink-Axel hypothesis, which is especially important for numerous astrophysical calculations, is addressed for ^{116,120,124}Sn below the neutron separation energy by means of three independent experimental methods. The γ-ray strength functions (GSFs) extracted from primary γ-decay spectra following charged-particle reactions with the Oslo method and with the shape method demonstrate excellent agreement with those deduced from forward-angle inelastic proton scattering at relativistic beam energies. In addition, the GSFs are shown to be independent of excitation energies and spins of the initial and final states.

Angular momentum generation in nuclear fission.

When a heavy atomic nucleus splits (fission), the resulting fragments are observed to emerge spinning; this phenomenon has been a mystery in nuclear physics for over 40 years. The internal generation of typically six or seven units of angular momentum in each fragment is particularly puzzling for systems that start with zero, or almost zero, spin. There are currently no experimental observations that enable decisive discrimination between the many competing theories for the mechanism that generates the angular momentum.

Quadricuspid aortic valve: a case report and review of literature.

Quadricuspid aortic valve, a rare congenital cardiac defect, manifests most commonly as aortic regurgitation. Clinical presentation mainly depends on the functional status of the aortic valve, myocardium and associated cardiovascular abnormalities. Aortic valve replacement or repair is usually warranted in the 5th or 6th decade.

Radiative Width of the Hoyle State from γ-Ray Spectroscopy.

The cascading 3.21 and 4.44 MeV electric quadrupole transitions have been observed from the Hoyle state at 7.