380 research outputs found
Apodization in high-contrast long-slit spectroscopy. Closer, deeper, fainter, cooler
The spectroscopy of faint planetary-mass companions to nearby stars is one of
the main challenges that new-generation high-contrast spectro-imagers are going
to face. In a previous work we presented a long slit coronagraph (LSC), for
which the presence of a slit in the coronagraphic focal plane induces a complex
distribution of energy in the Lyot pupil-plane that cannot be easily masked
with a binary Lyot stop. To alleviate this concern, we propose to use a pupil
apodization to suppress diffraction, creating an apodized long slit coronagraph
(ALSC). After describing how the apodization is optimized, we demonstrate its
advantages with respect to the CLC in the context of SPHERE/IRDIS long slit
spectroscopy (LSS) mode at low-resolution with a 0.12" slit and 0.18"
coronagraphic mask. We perform different sets of simulations with and without
aberrations, and with and without a slit to demonstrate that the apodization is
a more appropriate concept for LSS, at the expense of a significantly reduced
throughput (37%) compared to the LSC. Then we perform detailed end-to-end
simulations of the LSC and the ALSC that include realistic levels of
aberrations to obtain datasets representing 1h of integration time on stars of
spectral types A0 to M0 located at 10 pc. We insert spectra of planetary
companions at different effective temperatures (Teff) and surface gravities
(log g) into the data at angular separations of 0.3" to 1.5" and with contrast
ratios from 6 to 18 mag. Using the SD method to subtract the speckles, we show
that the ALSC brings a gain in sensitivity of up to 3 mag at 0.3" with respect
to the LSC, which leads to a much better spectral extraction below 0.5". In
terms of Teff, we demonstrate that at small angular separations the limit with
the ALSC is always lower by at least 100K, inducing an increase of sensitivity
of a factor up to 1.8 in objects' masses at young ages. [Abridged]Comment: 15 pages, 17 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
In situ observation of stress relaxation in epitaxial graphene
Upon cooling, branched line defects develop in epitaxial graphene grown at
high temperature on Pt(111) and Ir(111). Using atomically resolved scanning
tunneling microscopy we demonstrate that these defects are wrinkles in the
graphene layer, i.e. stripes of partially delaminated graphene. With low energy
electron microscopy (LEEM) we investigate the wrinkling phenomenon in situ.
Upon temperature cycling we observe hysteresis in the appearance and
disappearance of the wrinkles. Simultaneously with wrinkle formation a change
in bright field imaging intensity of adjacent areas and a shift in the moire
spot positions for micro diffraction of such areas takes place. The stress
relieved by wrinkle formation results from the mismatch in thermal expansion
coefficients of graphene and the substrate. A simple one-dimensional model
taking into account the energies related to strain, delamination and bending of
graphene is in qualitative agreement with our observations.Comment: Supplementary information: S1: Photo electron emission microscopy and
LEEM measurements of rotational domains, STM data of a delaminated bulge
around a dislocation. S2: Movie with increasing brightness upon wrinkle
formation as in figure 4. v2: Major revision including new experimental dat
Complications des otites moyennes chroniques
Objectif de l’étude : Rapporter la fréquence des complications des otites moyennes chroniques et présenter notre expérience dans leur prise en charge.Matériel et méthodes : Etude rétrospective concernant la période allant du 1er janvier 2000 au 31 décembre 2009. Les complications ont été réparties en 2 grands groupes : extracrâniennes et intracrâ-niennes.Résultats : 57 patients sur 350 reçus pour OMC ont présenté une complication, soit une fréquence de 18,38 %. Le cholestéatome était le plus grand pourvoyeur de ces complications (84,2%). Dix-neuf patients présentaient plus d’une complication, soit au total 76 cas. Les complications extracrâniennes ont été les plus fréquentes, 63 cas (83%), dominées par la mastoïdite extériorisée profuse (68,3%). Les complications intracrâniennes au nombre de 13 (17%) étaient dominées par la méningite purulente otogène (46,2%). La mastoïdectomie associée à une antibiothérapie à large spectre, occupait une place im-portante dans la prise en charge de ces complications. Elle a été réalisée chez 45 patients (79%). La mortalité a été estimée à 3,5% (2 cas de décès). Un drainage neurochirurgical a été effectué dans 4 cas (8,6 %).Conclusion : Cette étude se caractérise par un taux de complications d’OMC plus élevé que ceux rappor-tés dans la littérature, ainsi que par la prédominance des formes étendues et des associa-tions de complications chez un même patient.Mots clés : Otite moyenne chronique, Complications, Cholestéatome.The objective of this study : was to report the frequency and our experience of management of complications of chronic otitsmedia.Methods : We conducted a retrospective study covering 10 years period (from 1st January 2000 to 31 December 2009). Complications were divided into 2 groups: extracranial and intracranial.Results : Among 350 patients received for chronic otitis media, 57 presented complications, such as a rate of 18.38%. Cholesteatoma was the largest provider of these complications in order of 84.2%. Nineteen (19) patients had more than one complication. So, a total of 76 cases of complications were listed. Subperiostal mastoiditis was the most common findings, 68.3% of the extracranial complications. The intracranial complications, (17%), were domi-nated by otogenic purulent meningitis (46.2%). Radical mastoïdectomy with broad spectrum antibiotics occupied an important place in the management of these complications, performed in 45 patients (79%). Neurosurgical drainage was performed in 4 cases (8.6%). Mortality was estimated at 3.5% (2 deaths).Conclusion : COCM are characterized, in this study, by an elevated rate compared to that reported in the literature, the prevalence of extended forms and associations of complications in the same patient.Keys words : Chronic otitis media, Complications, Cholesteatoma
Recommended from our members
Phase transitions and magnetic domain coexistence in Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3 thin films
We present a study of the physical properties of perovskite oxide Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3 (NSMO) thin films grown on (110)-oriented SrTiO3 substrates. In bulk form, NSMO displays coupled magnetic and electronic transitions from paramagnetic/insulator to ferromagnetic (FM)/metal and then to antiferromagnetic (AFM)/charge-ordered insulator with decreasing temperature. In thin films, the AFM ordering only occurs when the films exist in an anisotropic strain state such as those obtained on (110)-oriented cubic substrates. In this work, resonant X-ray reflectivity, soft X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (X-PEEM), and magnetometry measurements showed that the NSMO film displays both vertical and lateral magnetic phase separation. Specifically, the film consists of three layers with different density and magnetic properties. The FM and AFM properties of the main NSMO layer were probed as a function of temperature using soft X-ray magnetic spectroscopy, and the coexistence of lateral FM and AFM domains was demonstrated at 110 K using X-PEEM
Laboratory validation of the dual-zone phase mask coronagraph in broadband light at the high-contrast imaging THD-testbed
Specific high contrast imaging instruments are mandatory to characterize
circumstellar disks and exoplanets around nearby stars. Coronagraphs are
commonly used in these facilities to reject the diffracted light of an observed
star and enable the direct imaging and spectroscopy of its circumstellar
environment. One important property of the coronagraph is to be able to work in
broadband light.
Among several proposed coronagraphs, the dual-zone phase mask coronagraph is
a promising solution for starlight rejection in broadband light. In this paper,
we perform the first validation of this concept in laboratory.
First, we recall the principle of the dual-zone phase mask coronagraph. Then,
we describe the high-contrast imaging THD testbed, the manufacturing of the
components and the quality-control procedures. Finally, we study the
sensitivity of our coronagraph to low-order aberrations (inner working angle
and defocus) and estimate its contrast performance. Our experimental broadband
light results are compared with numerical simulations to check agreement with
the performance predictions.
With the manufactured prototype and using a dark hole technique based on the
self-coherent camera, we obtain contrast levels down to between 5
and 17 in monochromatic light (640 nm). We also reach contrast
levels of between 7 and 17 in broadband
( nm, nm and %), which demonstrates the excellent chromatic performance of the dual-zone
phase mask coronagraph.
The performance reached by the dual-zone phase mask coronagraph is promising
for future high-contrast imaging instruments that aim at detecting and
spectrally characterizing old or light gaseous planets.Comment: 9 pages, 16 figure
Construction of an integrated consensus map of the Apple genome based on four mapping populations
An integrated consensus genetic map for apple was constructed on the basis of segregation data from four genetically connected crosses (C1¿=¿Discovery × TN10-8, C2¿=¿Fiesta × Discovery, C3¿=¿Discovery × Prima, C4¿=¿Durello di Forli × Fiesta) with a total of 676 individuals using CarthaGene® software. First, integrated female¿male maps were built for each population using common female¿male simple sequence repeat markers (SSRs). Then, common SSRs over populations were used for the consensus map integration. The integrated consensus map consists of 1,046 markers, of which 159 are SSR markers, distributed over 17 linkage groups reflecting the basic chromosome number of apple. The total length of the integrated consensus map was 1,032 cM with a mean distance between adjacent loci of 1.1 cM. Markers were proportionally distributed over the 17 linkage groups (¿ 2¿=¿16.53, df¿=¿16, p¿=¿0.41). A non-uniform marker distribution was observed within all of the linkage groups (LGs). Clustering of markers at the same position (within a 1-cM window) was observed throughout LGs and consisted predominantly of only two to three linked markers. The four integrated female¿male maps showed a very good colinearity in marker order for their common markers, except for only two (CH01h01, CH05g03) and three (CH05a02z, NZ02b01, Lap-1) markers on LG17 and LG15, respectively. This integrated consensus map provides a framework for performing quantitative trait locus (QTL) detection in a multi-population design and evaluating the genetic background effect on QTL expression
- …