L'Office national des forêts et les Systèmes d'information géographique.

L'ensemble des services de l'ONF des trois régions méditerranéennes (Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur, Languedoc-Roussillon et Corse) sont concernées par le SIG, qui constitue un outil d'aide à la décision sans équivalent dans la détermination de potentialités forestières

The size of selected human skull foramina in relation to skull capacity

An anatomical study was undertaken in order to investigate whether the sizes of selected human skull foramina with significant venous compartments correlated significantly with skull capacity. A total of 100 macerated human skulls were examined to determine the diameter of the foramina and the skull capacity. Measurements of the surface area of the foramina were made using a computerised digital analysis system. Only the size of the hypoglossal canal and jugular foramen were found to correlate significantly with the capacity of the skull. This correlation, together with the considerable size of the hypoglossal canal, indicated its important role in the venous drainage of the brain. There was considerable centralisation of venous outflow from the brain, with 60% of the area of all venous foramina of the skull occupied by jugular foramina. Asymmetry between the right and left jugular foramina was identified, with an average ratio of 1.6 (ranging between 1 and 3.47). In the case of right-sided domination the correlation between the skull capacity and the size of both jugular foramina was negative (the larger the skull cavity, the less the asymmetry), while in the case of left-sided domination the correlation was positive. Perhaps the left-sided domination is less advantageous for the haemodynamics of blood outflow, as the left brachiocephalic vein is longer and is often compressed by the sternum and aortic arch

Experiments towards quantum information with trapped Calcium ions

Ground state cooling and coherent manipulation of ions in an rf-(Paul) trap is the prerequisite for quantum information experiments with trapped ions. With resolved sideband cooling on the optical S1/2 - D5/2 quadrupole transition we have cooled one and two 40Ca+ ions to the ground state of vibration with up to 99.9% probability. With a novel cooling scheme utilizing electromagnetically induced transparency on the S1/2 - P1/2 manifold we have achieved simultaneous ground state cooling of two motional sidebands 1.7 MHz apart. Starting from the motional ground state we have demonstrated coherent quantum state manipulation on the S1/2 - D5/2 quadrupole transition at 729 nm. Up to 30 Rabi oscillations within 1.4 ms have been observed in the motional ground state and in the n=1 Fock state. In the linear quadrupole rf-trap with 700 kHz trap frequency along the symmetry axis (2 MHz in radial direction) the minimum ion spacing is more than 5 micron for up to 4 ions. We are able to cool two ions to the ground state in the trap and individually address the ions with laser pulses through a special optical addressing channel.Comment: Proceedings of the ICAP 2000, Firenz

Feasibility of therapeutic pneumoperitoneum in a large animal model using a microvaporisator

Background: Multimodal therapy is used increasingly in advanced gastrointestinal tumors. Potential benefits of using an intraoperative adjuvant therapy during laparoscopy for cancer have been documented in animal studies. The aim of this study was to develop a device that could deliver such an intraoperative drug therapy. Methods: We developed a micropump suitable for minimally invasive surgery procedures that allowed microdroplets of therapeutic substance to be distributed into the pneumoperitoneum (CO2), creating a "therapeutic pneumoperitoneum.” A closed-loop control system regulates drug delivery according to the gas flow. In vitro, the micropump is able to aerosolize various aqueous and ethanol solutions, including cytostatic and bacteriostatic drugs and adhesionmodulating agents. The size of the microdroplets has been optimized to prevent visual artifacts. Results: The micropump was tested in an animal model (pig). The system was inserted into a 5-mm trocar. After insufflation of a 12-mm CO2 pneumoperitoneum, laparoscopic sigmoid colon resections could be performed with no special difficulties. No fog developed, and no systemrelated complication was observed. At autopsy, the active principle was distributed to all exposed peritoneal surfaces. Conclusions: As opposed to conventional peritoneal washing, therapeutic pneumoperitoneum reaches the entire peritoneal surface, allowing an optimal drug distribution. Drug diffusion into the tissues is enhanced by the intraperitoneal pressure. Precise determination of the instantaneous and total drug quantity is possible. Therefore, this drug delivery system has several advantages over conventional irrigation. Its potential domains of application are locoregional cancer therapy, prevention of port-site recurrences, immunomodulation, analgesia, peritonitis, and prevention of postoperative adhesion

Vision and Foraging in Cormorants: More like Herons than Hawks?

Background Great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo L.) show the highest known foraging yield for a marine predator and they are often perceived to be in conflict with human economic interests. They are generally regarded as visually-guided, pursuit-dive foragers, so it would be expected that cormorants have excellent vision much like aerial predators, such as hawks which detect and pursue prey from a distance. Indeed cormorant eyes appear to show some specific adaptations to the amphibious life style. They are reported to have a highly pliable lens and powerful intraocular muscles which are thought to accommodate for the loss of corneal refractive power that accompanies immersion and ensures a well focussed image on the retina. However, nothing is known of the visual performance of these birds and how this might influence their prey capture technique. Methodology/Principal Findings We measured the aquatic visual acuity of great cormorants under a range of viewing conditions (illuminance, target contrast, viewing distance) and found it to be unexpectedly poor. Cormorant visual acuity under a range of viewing conditions is in fact comparable to unaided humans under water, and very inferior to that of aerial predators. We present a prey detectability model based upon the known acuity of cormorants at different illuminances, target contrasts and viewing distances. This shows that cormorants are able to detect individual prey only at close range (less than 1 m). Conclusions/Significance We conclude that cormorants are not the aquatic equivalent of hawks. Their efficient hunting involves the use of specialised foraging techniques which employ brief short-distance pursuit and/or rapid neck extension to capture prey that is visually detected or flushed only at short range. This technique appears to be driven proximately by the cormorant's limited visual capacities, and is analogous to the foraging techniques employed by herons

A white-light trap for Bose-Einstein condensates

We propose a novel method for trapping Bose-condensed atoms using a white-light interference fringe. Confinement frequencies of tens of kHz can be achieved in conjunction with trap depths of only a few micro-K. We estimate that lifetimes on the order of 10 s can be achieved for small numbers of atoms. The tight confinement and shallow depth permit tunneling processes to be used for studying interaction effects and for applications in quantum information.Comment: 10 pages with 3 figure

A P,O,P′-tridentate mixed-donor scorpionate ligand: 6-[4,6-bis­(diphenyl­phosphino)-10H-phenoxazin-10-yl]hexan-1-ol

The title compound, C42H39NO2P2, is a P,O,P′-tridentate scorpionate-type ligand and has one mol­ecule in the asymmetric unit. The angles involving the P atoms range from 100.21 (7) to 104.89 (7)°. The N-hexa­nol group was found to be disordered and was refined over two positions with final occupancies of 0.683 (3) and 0.317 (3) which affected the C—O and C—N bond lengths. The bond lengths for C—O range from 1.402 (2) to 1.415 (2) Å and for C—N from 1.410 (2) to 1.448 (3) Å for the major disorder component; the corresponding ranges for the minor disorder component are 1.429 (3)–1.408 (3) and 1.474 (3)–1.474 (4) Å

Virtual reality rehabilitation system for neuropathic pain and motor dysfunction in spinal cord injury patients

Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes both lower limb motor dysfunction and associated neuropathic pain. Although these two conditions share related cortical mechanisms, different interventions are currently used to treat each condition. With intensive training using entertaining virtual reality (VR) scenarios, it may be possible to reshape cortical networks thereby reducing neuropathic pain and improving motor function. We have created the first VR training system combining action observation and execution addressing lower limb function in incomplete SCI (iSCI) patients. A particular feature of the system is the use of size-adjustable shoes with integrated motion sensors. A pilot single-case clinical study is currently being conducted on six iSCI patients. Two patients tested to date were highly motivated to perform and reported improved physical well-being. They improved in playing skill and in controlling the virtual lower limbs. There were post-intervention indications of neuropathic pain decrease, muscle strength increase, faster walking speed and improved performance on items relevant for ambulation. In addition functional MRI before and after treatment revealed a decreased activation pattern. We interpret this result as an improvement of neuronal synergies for this task. These results suggest that our VR system may be beneficial for both reducing neuropathic pain and improving motor function in iSCI patients