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Constructionism in academic medicine matters. It encourages educators and researchers to question taken-for-granted assumptions, paying close attention to socially and historically contingent meanings. In this Invited Commentary, the authors explain what constructionism is; examine its ontological, epistemological, and axiological underpinnings; and outline its common methodologies and methods. Although constructivismfavors the individual, constructionismprivileges the social as the controlling force behind the construction of meaning. Where micro-constructionism attends to the minutiae of language, macro-constructionism focuses on broader discourses reproduced through material and social practices and structures. While social constructionists might situate themselves at any point on the relativist–realist continuum, many constructionists focus on constructionism as epistemology (the nature of knowledge) rather than ontology (the nature of reality). From an epistemological standpoint, constructionism asserts that howwe come to know the world is constructed through social interaction. Constructionism thus values language, dialogue, and context, in addition to internal coherence between epistemology, methodology, and methods. Constructionism similarly values the concepts of dependability, authenticity, credibility, confirmability, reflexivity, and transferability. It also embraces the researcher–researched relationship. Given the privileging of language, qualitative methodologies and methods are key in constructionism, with constructionist-type questions focusing on how people speak. Here, the authors encourage the reader to develop an understanding of constructionism to re-vision academic medicine through a constructionist lens.

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Excited states have been identified in the very neutron-deficient 112Xe nucleus. The ground-state band has been observed up to spin 12 ℏ, and a negative-parity side band has been observed up to 13 ℏ. The bands have been assigned to 112Xe by detecting gamma rays in coincidence with evaporated charged particles and neutrons. The energy of the 2+1state in 112Xe is lower than would be expected from both calculations and from systematics of the neighboring xenon isotopes, which indicates a larger than expected ground-state deformation. The observations of a low-lying 3−state and large deduced B(E1) values are suggestive of increased octupole correlations, which may explain the apparently large ground-state deformation. Constrained Hartree–Fock+BCS calculations have been performed which show qualitative agreement with the trend in deformation of the very neutron-deficient xenon isotopes.

Abstract:: High-spin states in the 96Tc nucleus have been studied with the reactions 82Se(19F,5nγ) at 68 MeV and Zn(36S,αpxn) at 130 MeV. Two γ-ray cascades (irregular bandlike structures) have been observed up to an excitation energy of about 10 MeV and spin 21-22?.

High-spin states in 197Pb and 198Pb were populated in the 186W(18O,xn) reactions. In-beam γ-ray coincidences were measured in two experiments using the Gammasphereand the EurogamII spectrometer arrays, respectively. In both nuclei new bands of enhanced magnetic dipole transitions were found and the known cascades were partly reordered and extended to higher spins. In most cases, γ-ray transitions connecting the magnetic rotational bands to lower-lying states have been identified. Configuration assignments are suggested for the bands. The systematic behavior confirms the shears mechanism. An effective interaction between the main high-spin proton and neutron orbitals is derived.

High-spin states have been studied in 128Ce, produced in the 100Mo(32S,4n) reaction, using the Euroballγ-ray spectrometer. A quadruples analysis (γ4) of the data has extended several bands to high spin. Systematics of quasiparticle alignments in cerium isotopes and relevant isotonic chains are discussed and compared to Woods–Saxon cranking calculations.

Connections between the superdeformed and normaldeformed states in 143Eu have been established by measuring energy sums of two consecutive γ-ray transitions in the linking cascade. Six decay paths have been observed connecting discrete states in the two potential wells. The absolute excitation energy and the most likely spin of a superdeformed band have been determined directly for the first time.

An intruder band based on an h 11/2proton has been observed in 111In. This is the first case to be identified below the Z = 50 major shell gap. As such, it sheds light on the relative importance of the deformed 2p-2h Sn-core state and the πh 11/2intruder orbital to the onset of deformation near the Z = 50 “magic” proton number.

Three high energy rays have been observed to connect the two yrast signature-partners superdeformed bands in ¹⁹³Tl to the normal deformed states. Thereby, both excitation energy and spin of these bands are proposed for the first time in an odd-proton nucleus.

High-spin states have been populated in 54117Xe via the 90Zr(31P, p3n) reaction at 150 MeV, using the EUROGAM II γ-ray spectrometer to record high-fold γ-ray coincidences. Although 117Xe accounts for only 20% of the total fusion cross-section, a high-fold (γ4) analysis of this weak channel has significantly extended the level scheme. In particular, the νh112 yrast band has been extended to Iπ = (912−) and shows features which are consistent with those of smooth band termination at high spin. The high-spin behaviour of 117Xe is discussed within the framework of cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky calculations. In addtion, measured B(E1) strengths are discussed in terms of possible octupole correlations in this mass region.

A prospective questionnaire survey was used to investigate the impact of obtaining a new pet dog on the lives of 27 middle childhood children and their families, during the first year of ownership. Changes in the social interactions, health, behaviour and well being of subject children were assessed using maternal questionnaires administered immediately before the pet dog was acquired, and at follow-ups, 1, 6 and 12 months later. Similar questionnaires were administered over the same period to a comparable group of 29 non-dog-owning mothers. Dog-owning children were reported to have been visited more by their friends by the time of the 1 month follow-up, compared with their non-dog-owning counterparts (U= 256.0, P< 0.05). Dog-owning families also engaged in more leisure activities at home together over the same period (U= 268.0, P< 0.05). However, dog-owning children were also reported to have experienced increases in the number of ill health symptoms they suffered by the 12 month follow-up (z= 2.6297, P< 0.01). Higher levels of attachment to the dog were positively associated with changes in confidence by the 6 month follow-up (T= 0.3971, P< 0.005), and negatively associated with changes in tearfulness or weepiness by the 12 month follow-up (T= −0.3118, P< 0.05).

High spin states in the isotope$^{194}$ Hg were populated using the$^{150}$ Nd ($^{48}$Ca,4n) reaction at a beam energy of 213 MeV. The analysis of $\gamma$-$\gamma$ coincidences has revealed two new structures at excitation energies above 6 MeV and at moderate spin. The two structures are a manifestation of the deviation of nucleus from the collective rotation which dominates its lower excitation behaviour. A comparison with similar structures in the neighbouring Hg isotopes is also attempted.

Abstract.: High spin states of 101Rh have been populated using the reaction 70Zn+36S at 130 MeV. γ-rays were detected with the EUROGAM2 array. New high-spin bands have been observed in this nucleus up to 45/2−, 57/2− and 65/2+ states. They have been interpreted using the Nilsson-Strutinsky cranking formalism as terminating configurations. Two of the bands were observed up to the predicted terminating states which are built up from g9/2 protons as well as d5/2, g7/2 and h11/2 neutrons relative to a 90Zr core.

Abstract:: The quadrupole moment for the πg 9/2⊗νh 11/2 band in the 130>Pr nucleus has been measured using the Doppler-shift attenuation method. A centroid shift analysis was carried out and a value of Q0=6.1�0.4 eb, corresponding to an axial prolate deformation of β2=0.35(3), has been determined. This is the first direct experimental confirmation of the deformation-driving character of the πg 9/2 orbital in an odd-odd nucleus in the A≃135 superdeformed region.

High-spin levels in 122Xe have been investigated by γ—γcoincidence measurements using the EUROGAMarray. The reaction 96Zr(30Si,4n)122Xe at a beam energy of 135 MeV was used. New structures of competing dipole to quadrupole transitions have been observed. Experimental B(M1)/B(E2) ratios have been extracted and compared with theoretical estimates.

Abstract:: The low-spin band structure of neutron-deficient 11554Xe has been studied following a low-energy (212.3 MeV) 60Ni(58Ni,2pnγ) reaction performed at IReS, Strasbourg, with the Garel+ spectrometer. The relative excitation energies of νh11/2 (isomeric), νg7/2, and νd5/2 bandheads have been established.

Abstact: High spin states of ¹⁰⁰Rh have been populated using the reaction ⁷⁰Zn+³⁶S at 130 MeV. -rays were detected with the EUROGAM2 array. The level structure of ¹⁰⁰Rh has been extended up to 14.41 MeV excitation energy. Several band structures are observed. A band based on a I=8 state is developed up to the I=24 level. It is assigned as the g_9/2⁵h_11/2 configuration.