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Background: The recent increase in the number of cochlear implantations in older people has sparked new interest in researching this target population. Findings in previous studies suggest that a cochlear implant (CI) brings considerable benefits for older people. However, limited attention has been given to the views of CI recipients themselves, and how they perceive success and challenges in the time following implantation. Method: Records of n =22 former patients at Cologne University Hospital were examined using qualitative content analysis. All patients were fitted with a CI in one ear between 2017 and 2019 when they were 69 years or older. They all used a hearing aid for auditive support on the other ear. Audiometric data from pure tone audiometry and speech audiometry was collected and analyzed along with personal comments on how individuals perceived the success and how they were able to handle the hearing technology.Results: Findings suggest that individuals' speech comprehension in the OLSA in quiet improved considerably after implantation and therapy. This was observed both in the collective group and in intraindividual comparison. Half of the group stated that they were partly satisfied or completely satisfied with their CI. Most of the patients reported that they kept the sound processor on throughout the entire day. However, according to their self-reports, most participants felt challenged in their understanding of speech in groups, with background noise, when talking on the phone, watching TV, and/or when listening to music. Some of the participants reported that they required support with handling the technical equipment. It was not possible to depict a comprehensive picture of the participants' social contacts based on the collected data. However, our findings suggest that developing an understanding of speech after cochlear implantation seems to be perceived as more difficult for persons living on their own. Conclusion: CI patients over 69 years reported difficulties in everyday life, particularly in challenging communicative situations, in media use and in using technical accessories. These difficulties should be taken into consideration during preoperative counselling regarding cochlear implantation and also during the rehabilitation process that follows implantation. More importantly, these difficulties should be directly addressed with patients to optimize the pre- and postoperative processes involved. Hintergrund: In den letzten Jahren stieg die Anzahl der CI-Versorgungen im höheren Alter an und in der Forschung wurde dieser Zielgruppe mehr Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt. Aufgrund bisheriger Forschungsergebnisse lässt sich annehmen, dass ältere Menschen durch ein CI in vielerlei Hinsicht deutlich profitieren können. Allerdings wurde der subjektiven Wahrnehmung von Erfolgen und Herausforderungen der Patienten im Rahmen der Basis- und Folgetherapie bisher wenig Beachtung geschenkt. Methode: In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden Patientendokumentationen einer Stichprobe von denjenigen n =22 Personen der Kölner Uniklinik aus den Jahren 2017-2019 mittels qualitativer Inhaltsanalyse retrospektiv untersucht, die ab dem 70. Lebensjahr einseitig mit einem CI versorgt wurden und auf der kontralateralen Seite ein Hörgerät nutzten. Ausgewertet wurden sowohl die audiometrischen Daten aus der Ton- und Sprachaudiometrie als auch persönliche Angaben zum subjektiv erlebten Hörerfolg und Handling der Hörtechnik. Ergebnisse: Aus den Ergebnissen geht hervor, dass das postoperative Sprachverstehen gemessen mit dem OLSA in Ruhe sowohl in der Gesamtgruppe als auch intraindividuell besser war als das präoperative Ergebnis. Mindestens die Hälfte der Personen waren mit ihrem CI teilweise oder vollständig zufrieden. Der überwiegende Anteil der Personen trug den Sprachprozessor während des gesamten Tages. Das Sprachverstehen in Gruppen, im Störschall, beim Telefonieren, beim Fernsehen und das Musikhören stellte die meisten Personen laut eigener Einschätzung jedoch vor größere Herausforderungen. Auch im Umgang mit dem technischen Zubehör zeigten einige Personen Unterstützungsbedarf. Ein umfassendes Bild über die sozialen Kontakte der befragten Personen mit CI ließ sich aufgrund der vorliegenden Daten nicht abbilden. Es deutete sich jedoch an, dass die Entwicklung des Sprachverstehens mit CI von alleinlebenden Personen als erschwert wahrgenommen wurde. Fazit: Die postoperativen Schwierigkeiten in herausfordernden kommunikativen Situationen im Alltag sowie bei der Mediennutzung und der Technikhandhabung, die in der untersuchten Stichprobe über 69 Jahre offensichtlich wurden, sollten in einer Beratung bezüglich einer CI-Versorgung und in der anschließenden Hörrehabilitation beachtet und mit den Patienten thematisiert werden, um die prä- und postoperativen Prozesse zu optimieren.

The European physical journal / A 59(4), 83 (2023). doi:10.1140/epja/s10050-023-00967-z, Published by Springer, Heidelberg

The decay of excited states in 255No was investigated by applying the evaporation-residue–conversion-electron correlation technique. Two new isomeric states were observed in 255No together with the previously known one. Excitation energies of the isomeric states were estimated based on the energies of conversion electrons and γ rays from correlation chains. These results were in accord with theoretical calculations based on the mean-field models. A tentative decay scheme of isomeric states in 255No is proposed, and their Nilsson configurations are discussed. The energy decrease of the 11/2−[725] Nilsson level for heavy N=153 isotones as a function of increasing proton number is confirmed. peerReviewed

Hintergrund: Bei Patienten mit einem Cochlea-Implantat (CI) zeigt sich eine hohe Variabilität im Versorgungsergebnis. Frühere Ergebnisse lassen vermuten, dass diese Variabilität zumindest teilweise auf Unterschiede hinsichtlich demographischer, audiologischer und Implantat-spezifischer[zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL], 23. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Audiologie

We reviewed studies relating risk taking to personality traits. This search long has been elusive due to the large number of definitions of risk and to the variety of personality traits associated with risk taking in different forms and domains. In order to reconcile inconsistent findings, we categorized risk taking measures into self-report behavior inventories, self-report trait-based scales, and choice-based tasks. Likewise, we made a distinction between specific risk-related traits (e.g., sensation seeking, impulsivity) and more general traits (e.g., the Big Five). Sensation seeking aspects like thrill and experience seeking were more strongly associated with recreational and social risks that trigger emotional arousal. Impulsivity was associated with ethical, health safety, gambling, and financial risk taking, due to disregard of future consequences and to lack of self-control. Among the Big Five, extraversion and openness to experience were associated with risk seeking; whereas conscientiousness and agreeableness had more established links with risk aversion. Neuroticism facets, like anxiety and worry, had negative relationships with risk seeking; other facets, like anger and depression, promoted risk seeking. We concluded that the notion of a unidimensional “risk taking” trait seems misleading. The interplay of many traits encompassed in an overarching temperament model best represented personality-risk relations. Positive emotionality traits promoted risky behaviors that confer an emotionally rewarding experience to the person. Negative emotionality traits lead to heightened perceptions of danger, primarily motivating the avoidance of risk. The last disinhibition affected risk taking as a result of differences in self-control control acting upon momentary feelings and in self-interest. Potential applications for practitioners are also discussed.

A novel method for measuring nuclear reactions in inverse kinematics with stored ion beams was successfully used to extract the nuclear-matter radius of Ni-58. The experiment was performed at the experimental heavy-ion storage ring at the GSI facility using a stored Ni-58 beam at energies of 100 and 150 MeV/u and an internal helium gas-jet target. Elastically scattered a-recoils at low momentum transfers were measured with an in-ring detector system compatible with ultrahigh vacuum. Experimental angular distributions were fitted using density-dependent optical model potentials within the eikonal approximation. This permitted the extraction of the point-matter root-mean-square radius of Ni-58 with an average value of 3.70(7) fm. Results from this work are in good agreement with several experiments performed in the past in normal kinematics. This pioneering experiment demonstrates a major breakthrough towards future investigations with far-from-stability stored beams using the present technique.

International audience; With the R$^{3}$B-LAND setup at GSI we have measured exclusive relative-energy spectra of the Coulomb dissociation of $^{18}$C at a projectile energy around 425~AMeV on a lead target, which are needed to determine the radiative neutron-capture cross sections of $^{17}$C into the ground state of $^{18}$C. Those data have been used to constrain theoretical calculations for transitions populating excited states in $^{18}$C. This allowed to derive the astrophysical cross section $\sigma^{*}_{\mathrm{n}\gamma}$ accounting for the thermal population of $^{17}$C target states in astrophysical scenarios. The experimentally verified capture rate is significantly lower than those of previously obtained Hauser-Feshbach estimations at temperatures $T_{9}\leq{}1$~GK. Network simulations with updated neutron-capture rates and hydrodynamics according to the neutrino-driven wind model as well as the neutron-star merger scenario reveal no pronounced influence of neutron capture of $^{17}$C on the production of second- and third-peak elements in contrast to earlier sensitivity studies.

With the R3B-LAND setup at GSI we have measured exclusive relative-energy spectra of the Coulomb dissociation of 18C at a projectile energy around 425~AMeV on a lead target, which are needed to determine the radiative neutron-capture cross sections of 17C into the ground state of 18C. Those data have been used to constrain theoretical calculations for transitions populating excited states in 18C. This allowed to derive the astrophysical cross section σ∗nγ accounting for the thermal population of 17C target states in astrophysical scenarios. The experimentally verified capture rate is significantly lower than those of previously obtained Hauser-Feshbach estimations at temperatures T9≤1~GK. Network simulations with updated neutron-capture rates and hydrodynamics according to the neutrino-driven wind model as well as the neutron-star merger scenario reveal no pronounced influence of neutron capture of 17C on the production of second- and third-peak elements in contrast to earlier sensitivity studies.

Hintergrund Die konnatale CMV-Infektion (k-CMV) stellt mit 15–40% die häufigste nicht genetische Ursache einer Hörstörung dar und tritt bei circa 1% bei Lebendgeburten auf. Nach k-CMV sind bei Geburt circa 90% der Neugeborenen (NG) asymptomatisch, jedoch entwickeln[zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL], 33. Wissenschaftliche Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Phoniatrie und Pädaudiologie (DGPP)

R. Thies et al.; 9 pags., 7 figs., 1 tab., Background: Models describing nuclear fragmentation and fragmentation fission deliver important input for planning nuclear physics experiments and future radioactive ion beam facilities. These models are usually benchmarked against data from stable beam experiments. In the future, two-step fragmentation reactions with exotic nuclei as stepping stones are a promising tool for reaching the most neutron-rich nuclei, creating a need for models to describe also these reactions. Purpose: We want to extend the presently available data on fragmentation reactions towards the light exotic region on the nuclear chart. Furthermore, we want to improve the understanding of projectile fragmentation especially for unstable isotopes. Method: We have measured projectile fragments from C10,12-18 and B10-15 isotopes colliding with a carbon target. These measurements were all performed within one experiment, which gives rise to a very consistent data set. We compare our data to model calculations. Results: One-proton removal cross sections with different final neutron numbers (1pxn) for relativistic C10,12-18 and B10-15 isotopes impinging on a carbon target. Comparing model calculations to the data, we find that the epax code is not able to describe the data satisfactorily. Using abrabla07 on the other hand, we find that the average excitation energy per abraded nucleon needs to be decreased from 27 MeV to 8.1 MeV. With that decrease abrabla07 describes the data surprisingly well. Conclusions: Extending the available data towards light unstable nuclei with a consistent set of new data has allowed a systematic investigation of the role of the excitation energy induced in projectile fragmentation. Most striking is the apparent mass dependence of the average excitation energy per abraded nucleon. Nevertheless, this parameter, which has been related to final-state interactions, requires further study. ©2016 American Physical Society, We thank the FRS and the GSI accelerator staff for their efforts. This work was supported by the Swedish Research Council. O.T. was supported by the Spanish Research Council under project FPA2012-32443, C.A.B. acknowledges support from the U.S. DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-08ER41533 and the U.S. NSF Grant No. 1415656. L.M.F. acknowledges support by the Spanish Research Council under project FPA2013-41267-P and M.R. was supported by GSI (F&E, DR-ZUBE), German BMBF (06DR134I and 05P09CRFN5), the Nuclear Astrophysics Virtual Institute (NAVI, HGF VHVI- 417) and the Helmholtz Association Detector Technology and Systems Platform. T.K. acknowledges support by the German BMBF No. 06DA9040I, No. 05P12RDFN8, and No. 05P15RDFN1. C.W. acknowledges funding by the UK STFC No. ST/E500651/1, while N.A. and M.F. acknowledge funding by the UK STFC No. ST/F011989/1.

Neutron-rich light nuclei and their reactions play an important role in the creation of chemical elements. Here, data from a Coulomb dissociation experiment on N-20,N-21 are reported. Relativistic N-20,N-21 ions impinged on a lead target and the Coulomb dissociation cross section was determined in a kinematically complete experiment. Using the detailed balance theorem, the N-19(n,gamma)N-20 and N-20(n,gamma)N-21 excitation functions and thermonuclear reaction rates have been determined. The N-19(n,gamma)N-20 rate is up to a factor of 5 higher at T < 1 GK with respect to previous theoretical calculations, leading to a 10% decrease in the predicted fluorine abundance.