 Semi-empirical mass errors can change beta-decay thresholds

Beta decay Q values depend on small differences between much larger atomic masses. A smooth semi-empirical mass formula can therefore approximate absolute masses reasonably while predicting the wrong sign for a MeV-scale decay threshold. Nuclear pairing explains offset even-even and odd-odd mass branches, but does not guarantee that every specific even-even neighbor lies below the intervening odd-odd nucleus. Measured masses or additional nuclear shell corrections are needed for quantitative threshold tests near a model's residual error scale.