The warm interstellar medium around the Cygnus Loop

Observations of the oxygen lines [OII]3729 and [OIII]5007 in the medium immediately beyond the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant were carried out with the scanning Fabry-P\'erot spectrophotometer ESOP. Both lines were detected in three different directions - east, northeast and southwest - and up to a distance of 15 pc from the shock front. The ionized medium is in the immediate vicinity of the remnant, as evinced by the smooth brightening of both lines as the adiabatic shock transition (defined by the X-ray perimeter) is crossed. These lines are usually brighter around the Cygnus Loop than in the general background in directions where the galactic latitude is above 5 degrees. There is also marginal (but significant) evidence that the degree of ionization is somewhat larger around the Cygnus Loop. We conclude that the energy necessary to ionize this large bubble of gas could have been supplied by an O8 or O9 type progenitor or the particles heated by the expanding shock front. The second possibility, though highly atractive, would have to be assessed by extensive modelling.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, ApJ 512 in pres

Managing Resources by Grazing in Grasslands Dominated by Dominant Shrub Species

The European natural grasslands are attracting new attention because of their environmental value as habitats for threatened fauna and flora species and their contribution to the diversity of landscapes. Those responsible for the implementation of the European agri-environmental policy are hence encouraging livestock farmers to adopt grazing practices that contribute to the conservation of grassland biodiversity especially by limiting encroachment by dominant shrubs. However, current scientific knowledge and technical information are often insufficient to connect flock feeding and the impact of grazing on shrub dynamics and livestock farmers are not very enthusiastic about restoring or conserving “plant mosaics” including shrubs that support biodiversity in their fields. This paper presents results of an interdisciplinary study on interactions between small ruminant feeding strategy and population dynamics of dominant shrub species with the objective of managing by grazing the structure of plant community and thus to provide the renewal of resources on a multi-year scale

Effect of the Structure of Amido-polynitrogen Molecules on the Complexation of Actinides

AbstractThe complexation and solvent extraction of Eu(III) and actinides in different oxidation states (Am(III), Pu(IV), Np(V)) by bitopic molecules with a dipyridyl-phenanthroline cycle as nitrogen unit and one or two amido functions are described. The complexation has been studied in methanol-water solution with hydrophilic molecules to enhance knowledge about this new family of ligands and to identify the most interesting structural effect. Some extraction tests have been performed with lipophilic molecules of the family to check the possible utility of the new class of ligands under representative fuel reprocessing conditions. These first studies have demonstrated that the presence of a preorganized N-donors unit like dipyridyl-phenanthroline improves the ligand's affinity for actinides and its An/Ln selectivity

Optical performance of the JWST MIRI flight model: characterization of the point spread function at high-resolution

The Mid Infra Red Instrument (MIRI) is one of the four instruments onboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), providing imaging, coronagraphy and spectroscopy over the 5-28 microns band. To verify the optical performance of the instrument, extensive tests were performed at CEA on the flight model (FM) of the Mid-InfraRed IMager (MIRIM) at cryogenic temperatures and in the infrared. This paper reports on the point spread function (PSF) measurements at 5.6 microns, the shortest operating wavelength for imaging. At 5.6 microns the PSF is not Nyquist-sampled, so we use am original technique that combines a microscanning measurement strategy with a deconvolution algorithm to obtain an over-resolved MIRIM PSF. The microscanning consists in a sub-pixel scan of a point source on the focal plane. A data inversion method is used to reconstruct PSF images that are over-resolved by a factor of 7 compared to the native resolution of MIRI. We show that the FWHM of the high-resolution PSFs were 5-10% wider than that obtained with Zemax simulations. The main cause was identified as an out-of-specification tilt of the M4 mirror. After correction, two additional test campaigns were carried out, and we show that the shape of the PSF is conform to expectations. The FWHM of the PSFs are 0.18-0.20 arcsec, in agreement with simulations. 56.1-59.2% of the total encircled energy (normalized to a 5 arcsec radius) is contained within the first dark Airy ring, over the whole field of view. At longer wavelengths (7.7-25.5 microns), this percentage is 57-68%. MIRIM is thus compliant with the optical quality requirements. This characterization of the MIRIM PSF, as well as the deconvolution method presented here, are of particular importance, not only for the verification of the optical quality and the MIRI calibration, but also for scientific applications.Comment: 13 pages, submitted to SPIE Proceedings vol. 7731, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2010: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wav

Use of Sysmex XE-2100 and XE-5000 hematology analyzers for the diagnosis of malaria in a nonendemic country (France).

INTRODUCTION: Most studies dealing with automated hematology analyzers (HAs) and malaria diagnosis are conducted in endemic countries. METHODS: We retrospectively studied cell blood counts (CBCs) performed with Sysmex XE-2100 and XE-5000 HAs in our center (Angers, France) regarding 67 patients returning from endemic areas and infected with various Plasmodium species. RESULTS: In 83% of infected samples with Plasmodium vivax (Pv), ovale (Po), or malariae (Pm), extra clouds of dots were present in neutrophil and/or eosinophil area(s) on routine differential (DIFF) scattergrams. In contrast, samples infected with Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) failed to show such DIFF scattergrams, or any other suggesting malaria infection (0/ 49 pts). Abnormal areas from DIFF scattergrams were related to the presence of mature schizonts and gametocytes, undestroyed by lysis agent, the latter not observed in Pf-infected patients from our series. The internal parameter WBC[DIFF] - WBC[BASO] raised in parallel to parasitemia in Pv, Po, and Pm samples but could not be used as a surrogate for parasitemia. In Pf infection, reticulocyte/ immature reticulocyte fraction (IRF) ratio showed a significant correlation with parasitemia (P < 0.05). A diagnostic model developed for Pf in endemic countries showed sensitivity of 77%. CONCLUSION: Using SYSMEX analyzers, Pv, Po, and Pm infections are easy to ascertain as DIFF scattergrams are almost specific (specificity = 99.9%). Pf infection diagnosis by CBC may be a more promising tool

The Mid-Infrared Instrument for the James Webb Space Telescope, V: Predicted Performance of the MIRI Coronagraphs

The imaging channel on the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) is equipped with four coronagraphs that provide high contrast imaging capabilities for studying faint point sources and extended emission that would otherwise be overwhelmed by a bright point-source in its vicinity. Such bright sources might include stars that are orbited by exoplanets and circumstellar material, mass-loss envelopes around post-main-sequence stars, the near-nuclear environments in active galaxies, and the host galaxies of distant quasars. This paper describes the coronagraphic observing modes of MIRI, as well as performance estimates based on measurements of the MIRI flight model during cryo-vacuum testing. A brief outline of coronagraphic operations is also provided. Finally, simulated MIRI coronagraphic observations of a few astronomical targets are presented for illustration

Evidence of triggered star formation in G327.3-0.6. Dust-continuum mapping of an infrared dark cloud with P-ArT\'eMiS

Aims. Expanding HII regions and propagating shocks are common in the environment of young high-mass star-forming complexes. They can compress a pre-existing molecular cloud and trigger the formation of dense cores. We investigate whether these phenomena can explain the formation of high-mass protostars within an infrared dark cloud located at the position of G327.3-0.6 in the Galactic plane, in between two large infrared bubbles and two HII regions. Methods: The region of G327.3-0.6 was imaged at 450 ? m with the CEA P-ArT\'eMiS bolometer array on the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment telescope in Chile. APEX/LABOCA and APEX-2A, and Spitzer/IRAC and MIPS archives data were used in this study. Results: Ten massive cores were detected in the P-ArT\'eMiS image, embedded within the infrared dark cloud seen in absorption at both 8 and 24 ?m. Their luminosities and masses indicate that they form high-mass stars. The kinematical study of the region suggests that the infrared bubbles expand toward the infrared dark cloud. Conclusions: Under the influence of expanding bubbles, star formation occurs in the infrared dark areas at the border of HII regions and infrared bubbles.Comment: 4 page

The Mid-Infrared Instrument for the James Webb Space Telescope, III: MIRIM, The MIRI Imager

In this article, we describe the MIRI Imager module (MIRIM), which provides broad-band imaging in the 5 - 27 microns wavelength range for the James Webb Space Telescope. The imager has a 0"11 pixel scale and a total unobstructed view of 74"x113". The remainder of its nominal 113"x113" field is occupied by the coronagraphs and the low resolution spectrometer. We present the instrument optical and mechanical design. We show that the test data, as measured during the test campaigns undertaken at CEA-Saclay, at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, indicate that the instrument complies with its design requirements and goals. We also discuss the operational requirements (multiple dithers and exposures) needed for optimal scientific utilization of the MIRIM.Comment: 29 pages, 9 figure