Multi-Color Imaging of Magnetic Co/Pt Multilayers

We demonstrate for the first time the realization of a spatial resolved two color, element-specific imaging experiment at the free-electron laser facility FERMI. Coherent imaging using Fourier transform holography was used to achieve direct real space access to the nanometer length scale of magnetic domains of Co/Pt heterostructures via the element-specific magnetic dichroism in the extreme ultraviolet spectral range. As a first step to implement this technique for studies of ultrafast phenomena we present the spatially resolved response of magnetic domains upon femtosecond laser excitation

Size-Controlled Hapticity Switching in [Ln(C9H9)(C8H8)][Ln(C_{9}H_{9})(C_{8}H_{8})] Sandwiches

Sandwich complexes of lanthanides have recently attracted a considerable amount of interest due to their applications as Single Molecule Magnet (SMM). Herein, a comprehensive series of heteroleptic lanthanide sandwich complexes ligated by the cyclononatetraenyl (Cnt) and the cyclooctatetraenyl (Cot) ligand [Ln(Cot)(Cnt)] (Ln=Tb, Dy, Er, Ho, Yb, and Lu) is reported. The coordination behavior of the Cnt ligand has been investigated along the series and shows different coordination patterns in the solid-state depending on the size of the corresponding lanthanide ion without altering its overall anisotropy. Besides the characterization in the solid state by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and in solution by $^{1}H$NMR, static magnetic studies and ab initio computational studies were performed

Analytical performance of eight enzymatic assays for ethanol in serum evaluated by data from the Belgian external quality assessment scheme

Abstract Objectives Fast and reliable ethanol assays analysis are used in a clinical context for patients suspected of ethanol intoxication. Mostly, automated systems using an enzymatic reaction based on ethanol dehydrogenase are used. The manuscript focusses on the evaluation of the performance of these assays. Methods Data included 30 serum samples used in the Belgian EQA scheme from 2019 to 2021 and concentrations ranged from 0.13 to 3.70 g/L. A regression line between target concentrations and reported values was calculated to evaluate outliers, bias, variability and measurement uncertainty. Results A total of 1,611 results were taken into account. Bias was the highest for Alinity c over the whole concentration range and the lowest for Vitros for low concentrations and Cobas 8000 using the c702 module for high concentrations. The Architect and Cobas c501/c502 systems showed the lowest variability over the whole concentration range. Highest variability was observed for Cobas 8000 using the 702 module, Thermo Scientific and Alinity c. Cobas 8000 using the c702 module showed the highest measurement uncertainty for lower concentrations. For higher concentrations, Alinity c, Thermo Scientific and Vitros were the methods with the highest measurement uncertainty. Conclusions The bias of the enzymatic techniques is nearly negligible for all methods except Alinity c. Variability differs strongly between measurement procedures. This study shows that the Alinity c has a worse measurement uncertainty than other systems for concentrations above 0.5 g/L. Overall, we found the differences in measurement uncertainty to be mainly influenced by the differences in variability

Ce qui survit à Milosevic en Serbie

What is the legacy of Milosevic regime in Serbia? In this paper we investigate the political crisis in Serbia looking at the nature of the political regime in Serbia.Le système de pouvoir que Milošević a mis en place dès son arrivée au pouvoir en 1987 se caractérise par un formalisme communiste combiné à un programme nationaliste. Le financement de la guerre par l'hyper-inflation, le vol de l'épargne des ménages et les rentes mafieuses ont affaibli les formes de résistances à son encontre, singulièrement au sein des partis politiques. Il a créé une culture politique où les catégories ethniques apparaissent comme seul facteur explicatif de tous les phénomènes sociaux, économiques et politiques. La force de Milošević a été d'amener les partis politiques non pas à lui reprocher d'avoir mené les guerres, mais bien de les avoir perdues. Cette culture politique lui survit, au-delà de sa mort

L'Union Européenne face à l'indépendance du Kosovo et aux élections présidentielles en Serbie

The recent independence of Kosovo is closing a cycle of institutional instability initiated in 1989. In this paper we try to present the argument of the institutional crisis in Serbia and we answer to the ethnic approach by focussing our analyse on political issues.La récente déclaration d'indépendance du Kosovo marque la fin d'un cycle de confusion institutionnelle initié en 1989. Souvent présenté à Belgrade comme le berceau historique de la nation serbe, le Kosovo sert en réalité de prétexte à la classe politique serbe pour se maintenir au pouvoir et continuer à se partager les rentes issues des monopoles et des détournements. Mais l'Union Européenne fait preuve à son égard d'un manque de volonté politique qui rappelle son attitude de la décennie précédente, lors des guerres de Croatie et de Bosnie. L'Union Européenne doit aujourd'hui assumer pleinement son mandat au Kosovo et en Bosnie, faute de quoi c'est l'ensemble de la région qui restera durablement enclavée et déstabilisée

Establishing age/sex related serum creatinine reference intervals from hospital laboratory data based on different statistical methods

BACKGROUND: This is a retrospective study on a large hospital database to establish age- and sex-related mean values and reference ranges for serum creatinine (Scr), obtained with an IDMS-traceable, enzymatic method, in a Caucasian population. METHODS: The database was filtered for unique entries to reduce the presence of correlated and pathological data. Three different statistical methods, a non-parametric method, the Bhattacharya procedure and a non-linear fit of the cumulative Gaussian distribution were used to estimate the serum creatinine-age dependency for men and women, from birth till 100 years of age. RESULTS: Scr increases with age, equal for boys and girls, up to 14 years and with a much steeper slope for boys than for girls between 14 and 20 years. We show that the Scr-age pattern is constant between 20 and 70 years with a mean of 0.90 mg/dL [0.63-1.16 mg/dL] for men and 0.70 mg/dL [0.48-0.93 mg/dL] for women. Above 70, Scr starts to slowly increase again. CONCLUSIONS: Indirect methods confirm the available reference intervals from healthy-volunteer studies and add information on age-periods not covered by these studies. As such, indirect methods can be used complementary to healthy-volunteer studies.status: publishe

Origin of ellipticity of high-order harmonics generated by a two-color laser field in the cross-polarized configuration

International audienceRecently several techniques demonstrated the production of elliptically polarized high harmonics. One of these techniques consists of the interaction in a noble gas of two-color laser beams having orthogonal linear polarizations. Here we present the theoretical explanation of such a result observed in Lambert et al. [Nat. Commun. 6, 6167 (2015)]. Numerical calculations based on the nonperturbative light-atom interaction theory reproduce well the experimental data. The degree of polarization is analyzed for different harmonic orders and found to be high. With the help of a simplified theoretical model it is shown that the degree of harmonic ellipticity depends mainly on the population of atomic state sublevels with different angular momentum projections