Constraints on Jupiter’s Stratospheric HCl abundance and chlorine cycle from Herschel/HIFI

Detection of HCl on Jupiter would provide insight into the chlorine cycle and external elemental fluxes on giant planets, yet so far has not been possible. Here we present the most sensitive search for Jupiter׳s stratospheric HCl to date using observations of the 625.907 and 1876.221 GHz spectral lines with Herschel׳s HIFI instrument. HCl was not detected, but we determined the most stringent upper limits so far, improving on previous studies by two orders of magnitude. If HCl is assumed to be uniformly mixed, with a constant volume mixing ratio above the 1 mbar pressure level and has zero abundance below, we obtain a 3-σ upper limit of 0.061 ppb; in contrast, if we assume uniform mixing above the 1 mbar level and allow a non-zero but downward-decreasing abundance from 1 mbar to the troposphere based on eddy diffusion, we obtain a 3-σ upper limit of 0.027 ppb. This is below the abundance expected for a solar composition cometary source and implies that upper stratospheric HCl loss processes are required for consistency with observations of the external oxygen flux. We investigated loss via aerosol scavenging using a simple diffusion model and conclude that it could be a very effective mechanism for HCl removal. Transient scavenging by stratospheric NH3 from impacts is another potentially important loss mechanism. This suggests that it is extremely unlikely that HCl is present in sufficient quantities to be detectable in the near future. An alternative explanation for our very low upper limits could be that HCl is sub-solar in comets or that cometary chlorine exists in inactive reservoirs that are not readily converted to HCl during the impact process

An Assessment of Technology Adoptability in Sugarcane Burning Smoke Plume Mitigation

The adverse health effects of sugarcane burning emissions on surrounding communities are well documented. Sugarcane farmers in Louisiana, a major sugarcane producing state with 385,000 acres dedicated to sugarcane farming throughout, attempt to mitigate the effects of burn emissions by estimating the characteristics of the resultant smoke plume using meteorological variables as parameters. The current mitigation method designed by the LSU AgCenter, the American Sugar Cane League, and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry is a manual process requiring the tedious look-up of atmospheric variables from multiple sources and physically drawing a predicted smoke plume on a paper map, leaving room for human error. Because of the manual properties of this program and similar programs in other sugarcane producing states, the questions arise - why is technology not being utilized to improve it? And if the appropriate technology did exist, would they want to use it? Previous agriculture technology adoption research focuses mostly on the adoption of precision agriculture techniques and the computer/Internet, while the focus of this study is the adoptability of a new online application developed to replace the manual mitigation process. The question is shifting from - do farmers own a computer/Internet? to - how are they using it and what motivates them to use certain applications? The distributed survey assessed which characteristics of Louisiana sugarcane farmers and farms are related to the adoptability of the new application. The survey questions asked for demographic information, behaviors and attitudes related to technology, and behaviors and attitudes related to their community, including their level of participation in the currently used manual mitigation program. The correlations found between these variables and the likelihood of adopting the new online application provide insight into what drives a farmer to use technological tools such as this one and if this is an industry space that would welcome additional applications that are similarly designed

Design and Prototyping of New 4, 5 and 6 Degrees of Freedom Parallel Manipulators Based on the Copying Properties of the Pantograph Linkage

International audienceIn this paper, a new family of parallel manipulators called PAMINSA 1 is proposed. The particularity of these manipulators is the decoupling of displacements in the horizontal plane from its translation along the vertical axis. The advantages of such an approach are discussed, and a prototype is presented. The positioning errors of the moving platform taking into account the elasticity of links are determined and the performances of such a design are shown

Blade-plate fixation for distal femoral fractures: A case-control study

AbstractBackgroundThe blade-plate is the earliest of the contemporary internal fixation devices introduced for distal femoral fractures. The recent development of dedicated, fixation devices has considerably limited its use. The objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes after blade-plate fixation and after fixation using other devices.HypothesisOutcomes after blade-plate fixation are similar to those after condylar screw-plate, distal femoral nail, or locking condylar plate fixation.Material and methodsWe reviewed outcomes after 62 patients managed with blade-plate fixation and included in a multicentre retrospective study (n=57) or a multicentre prospective study (n=5) and we compared them to outcomes after fixation using condylar screw-plates (n=82), distal femoral nail (n=219), or locking condylar plates (n=301). The four groups were comparable for age, gender distribution, occupational status, prevalence of skin wounds, patient-related factors, type of accident, and type of fracture. The evaluation relied on the clinical International Knee Society (IKS) score and on radiographs.ResultsNo significant differences existed across the four groups for operative time, blood transfusion use, complications, need for bone grafting, non-union rate, or IKS score values. The early surgical revision rate for removal of the fixation material was 4% with the blade-plate and 16% with the other three fixation devices (P=0.02). Post-operative fracture deformity was similar in the four groups with, however, a higher proportion of residual malalignment in the screw-fixation group. The final anatomic axis was 3.3±1.4° with the blade-plate versus 2.3±3.7° with the other three fixation devices. The blade-plate group had few patients with axial malalignment, and the degree of malalignment was limited to 3° of varus and 10° of valgus at the most, compared to 10° and 18° respectively, with the other three fixation devices.ConclusionDespite the now extremely limited use and teaching of blade-plate fixation, as well as the undeniable technical challenges raised by the implantation of this device, the blade-plate is a simple, strong, and inexpensive fixation method. It remains reliable for the fixation of distal femoral fractures. The disfavour into which the blade-plate is currently falling is not warranted.Level of evidenceIII, case-control study

Epidemiology of distal femur fractures in France in 2011–12

AbstractIntroductionEpidemiological study of femoral fractures has been dominated by proximal fractures. Distal fracture requires equal attention for correct management.Patients and methodsA prospective study in 12 French hospital centres between June 1st, 2011 and May 31st, 2012 recruited cases of non-pathologic distal femoral fracture in patients over 15 years of age without ipsilateral knee prosthesis.ResultsThere were 183 fractures in 177 patients. Mean age was 63.5 years. Female patients (60.5%) were significantly older than males (mean age, respectively 73 versus 48.4 years). Walking was unrestricted in only 83 patients (46.89%). On the AO/OTA (Orthopaedic Trauma Association) classification, there were 86 type A fractures (47%), 29 type B (15.8%) and 68 type C (37.2%). Fractures were open in 32 cases (17.5%), most frequently in male, young patients and type C fracture. Causal trauma was low-energy (fall from own height) in 108 cases, most frequently in female patients and type A fracture. Forty-five patients were proximal femoral implant bearers.ConclusionDistal femoral fracture shows highly variable epidemiology. AO/OTA type A fracture mainly involves elderly, relatively dependent female subjects. Outcome study requires radiographic data and assessment of functional capacity.Level of evidence IVProspective cohort study

Stretching and compression of laser pulses by means of high efficiency volume diffractive gratings with variable period in photo-thermo-refractive glass

High efficiency reflective volume Bragg gratings with chirped gratings recorded in photo-thermo-refractive glass having an absolute diffraction efficiency exceeding 95% in transmitting and reflecting modes are used to stretch and/or compress ultrashort laser pulses with high efficiency. Robustness, compactness, thermal and laser stability along with placement of multiple elements in the same space provides femtosecond laser system with high efficiency of stretching and re-compression of femtosecond pulses

Diseño de un sistema de control de inventarios y comercialización de chatarra en la comercializadora Fletcher

El inventario representa una inversión considerable por parte de las empresas industriales, es por ello que se hace indispensable prestarle atención especial a su manejo. Para realizar una eficiente administración los responsables de esta área debe controlar todos los niveles del inventario y considerar que este es una inversión significativa que si no se maneja de una forma adecuada puede convertirse en un problema que afectaría la gestión financiera de la empresa. La finalidad de la presente investigación es encontrar un modelo eficiente que intente solucionar parte de los problemas a los que se enfrenta la Comercializadora Fletcher en su proceso logístico de almacenamiento y gestión de inventarios. Esta problemática surge a raíz de la falta de planeación y control de las actividades, ya que no cuenta con un modelo que le permita tener un mejor desempeño en este aspecto. La falta de control que tiene la organización sobre sus procesos obedece en gran parte a que es una empresa de tipo familiar, por lo que el personal es mínimo como para controlar todas las actividades de una empresa que está en crecimiento. Por consiguiente se incurren en errores de planeación que pueden traducirse en grandes pérdidas para la organización, lo que podría ocasionar que en un futuro sea eliminada del ambiente competitivo que exista en el sector. Por estas razones, surge la necesidad de realizar un proyecto en el cual se puedan identificar los factores de mayor trascendencia en el sistema logístico, y le permita a la empresa obtener un modelo eficiente en el que se administren de manera adecuada los inventarios y de esta forma dar más valor a la empres

Images in cardiovascular medicine. Mitral valve varix.

International audienceA 39-year-old man presented with atypical angina and hemoptysis. This soldier traveled regularly to the Middle-East and Africa. Initial clinical examination was within normal limits, as were also the ECG, biochemistry, and hematologic blood samples..

Contrôle de la conformité de l'information financière des sociétés cotées aux normes comptables par l'AMF en France : Analyse comparative avec deux modèles anglo-américains (la SEC et le FRRP)

L'objectif de cet article est d'analyser les méthodes de contrôle de l'information financière des sociétés cotées par les autorités de surveillance dans le contexte européen où les normes IFRS sont devenues obligatoires pour la préparation des états financiers consolidés. Le système de contrôle de l'AMF est développé de manière approfondie, dans une perspective comparative avec deux modèles anglo-américains (la SEC et le FRRP). La méthodologie suivie est qualitative s'appuyant sur l'observation empirique à l'AMF complétée par les entretiens avec les contrôleurs impliqués dans la vérification des états financiers d'émetteurs. Si les recherches récentes discutent de la surveillance de l'application des normes IFRS par les régulateurs, à notre connaissance, peu de travaux cherchent à mettre en avant la valeur technique de cette ligne de contrôle. Notre étude intéresse particulièrement les différents participants sur les marchés financiers, tels que les régulateurs, les auditeurs, les préparateurs et les utilisateurs de l'information financière.contrôle; conformité; normes comptables; IFRS; régulateur