High-contrast Ultrabroadband Frontend Source for High Intensity Few-Cycle Lasers

An ultrabroadband seed source for high-power, high-contrast OPCPA systems at 800 nm is presented. The source is based on post compression in a hollow-core fiber followed by crossed polarized waves (XPW) filtering and is capable of delivering 80$\mu$J, 5fs, CEP-stable (0.3rad RMS) pulses with excellent spectral and temporal qualit

Mating Ewes on Condensed Tannin-Containing Forages Increases Ewe Reproductive Rate and Reduces Lamb Mortality

Action of condensed tannin (CT) reduces forage protein degradation in the rumen and increases the absorption of amino acids from the small intestine (Barry & McNabb 1999). This paper reports the effects of grazing ewes on two CT-containing forages during mating upon ewe reproductive rate and lamb mortality

Velocity Loss Thresholds Reliably Control Kinetic and Kinematic Outputs during Free Weight Resistance Training.

Exercise velocity and relative velocity loss thresholds (VLTs) are commonly used in velocity-based resistance training. This study aims to quantify the between-day reliability of 10%, 20%, and 30% VLTs on kinetic and kinematic outputs, changes in external load, and repetition characteristics in well-trained athletes. Using a repeated, counter-balanced crossover design, twelve semi-professional athletes completed five sets of the back squat with an external load corresponding to a mean concentric velocity of ~0.70 m·s-1 and a VLT applied. The testing sessions were repeated after four weeks of unstructured training to assess the long-term reliability of each VLT. A coefficient of variation (CV) 10% (CV: 11.14-14.92%). Alternatively, the repetitions completed within each set showed large variation (CV: 18.92-67.49%). These findings demonstrate that by utilizing VLTs, kinetic and kinematic outputs can be prescribed and replicated across training mesocycles. Thus, for practitioners wishing to reliably control the kinetic and kinematic stimulus that is being applied to their athletes, it is advised that a velocity-based approach is used

Near-Infrared Polarimetric Adaptive Optics Observations of NGC 1068: A torus created by a hydromagnetic outflow wind

We present J' and K' imaging linear polarimetric adaptive optics observations of NGC 1068 using MMT-Pol on the 6.5-m MMT. These observations allow us to study the torus from a magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) framework. In a 0.5" (30 pc) aperture at K', we find that polarisation arising from the passage of radiation from the inner edge of the torus through magnetically aligned dust grains in the clumps is the dominant polarisation mechanism, with an intrinsic polarisation of 7.0%$\pm$2.2%. This result yields a torus magnetic field strength in the range of 4$-$82 mG through paramagnetic alignment, and 139$^{+11}_{-20}$ mG through the Chandrasekhar-Fermi method. The measured position angle (P.A.) of polarisation at K$'$ is found to be similar to the P.A. of the obscuring dusty component at few parsec scales using infrared interferometric techniques. We show that the constant component of the magnetic field is responsible for the alignment of the dust grains, and aligned with the torus axis onto the plane of the sky. Adopting this magnetic field configuration and the physical conditions of the clumps in the MHD outflow wind model, we estimate a mass outflow rate $\le$0.17 M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$ at 0.4 pc from the central engine for those clumps showing near-infrared dichroism. The models used were able to create the torus in a timescale of $\geq$10$^{5}$ yr with a rotational velocity of $\leq$1228 km s$^{-1}$ at 0.4 pc. We conclude that the evolution, morphology and kinematics of the torus in NGC 1068 can be explained within a MHD framework.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, Accepted by MNRA

Urea‑functionalized amorphous calcium phosphate nanofertilizers: optimizing the synthetic strategy towards environmental sustainability and manufacturing costs

This work has been performed thanks to the funding by Fondazione CARIPLO (Project No. 2016-0648: Romancing the stone: size-controlled HYdroxyaPATItes for sustainable Agriculture – HYPATIA). JMDL acknowledges Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain (MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE) for funding through the projects NanoVIT (RTI-2018-095794-A-C22) and NanoSmart (RYC-2016-21042). GBRR also acknowledges the Spanish MICIU for her postdoctoral contract within the Juan de la Cierva Program (JdC-2017). Financial support for this work was also provided by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Standard Fellowships (888972-PSust- MOF, F.J.C.) within the European Union research and innovation framework programme (2014-2020). We thank Prof. Jan Skov Pedersen (Aarhus University, DK) for technical and scientific assistance on SAXS experiments.Nanosized fertilizers are the new frontier of nanotechnology towards a sustainable agriculture. Here, an efficient N-nanofertilizer is obtained by post-synthetic modification (PSM) of nitrate-doped amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) nanoparticles (NPs) with urea. The unwasteful PSM protocol leads to N-payloads as large as 8.1 w/w%, is well replicated by using inexpensive technical-grade reagents for cost-effective up-scaling and moderately favours urea release slowdown. Using the PSM approach, the N amount is ca. 3 times larger than that obtained in an equivalent one-pot synthesis where urea and nitrate are jointly added during the NPs preparation. In vivo tests on cucumber plants in hydroponic conditions show that N-doped ACP NPs, with half absolute N-content than in conventional urea treatment, promote the formation of an equivalent amount of root and shoot biomass, without nitrogen depletion. The high nitrogen use efficiency (up to 69%) and a cost-effective preparation method support the sustainable real usage of N-doped ACP as a nanofertilizer.Fondazione Cariplo 2016-0648Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain (MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE) RTI-2018-095794-A-C22 RYC-2016-21042Marie Sklodowska-Curie Standard Fellowships within the European Union research and innovation framework programme (2014-2020) 888972-PSustMOFSpanish MICIU within the Juan de la Cierva Program (JdC-2017

Temperature Effects in the Composition of Metal Halide Perovskite thin Films

Metal halide perovskites have shown to be a structure with great promise as an efficient photovoltaic, but at the same time it is affected by instability problems that degrade their performance. Degradation mechanisms vary with temperature, moisture, oxidation, and energy conversion during light exposure. We study performance loss due to temperature by probing diffusion of elemental composition across the thickness of films produced by spin coating and for temperatures ranging from 20 to 200°C. X-ray reflectivity was used to identify the electron density, composition, and quality of the films, aided with X-ray fluorescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies to obtain information about degradation of the organic phase of the films

The Burst Cluster: Dark Matter in a Cluster Merger Associated with the Short Gamma Ray Burst, GRB 050509B

We have identified a merging galaxy cluster with evidence of two distinct sub-clusters. The X-ray and optical data suggest that the subclusters are moving away from each other after closest approach. This cluster merger was discovered from observations of the well localized short-duration gamma-ray burst (GRB), GRB 050509B. The Swift/Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) source position is coincident with a cluster of galaxies ZwCl 1234.0+02916. The subsequent Swift/X-Ray Telescope (XRT) localization of the X-ray afterglow found the GRB coincident with 2MASX J12361286+2858580, a giant red elliptical galaxy in the cluster. Deep multi-epoch optical images were obtained to constrain the evolution of the GRB afterglow, including a 27480s exposure in the F814W band with Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), among the deepest imaging ever obtained towards a known galaxy cluster in a single passband. We perform a weak gravitational lensing analysis, including mapping the total mass distribution of the merger system. Combined with Chandra X-ray Observatory and Swift/XRT observations, we investigate the dynamical state of the merger to probe the nature of the dark matter component. Our weak gravitational lensing measurements reveal a separation of the X-ray centroid of the western subcluster from the center of the mass and galaxy light distributions, similar to that of the famous "Bullet cluster". We conclude that the "Burst cluster" is another candidate merger system for determining the nature of dark matter and for studying the environment of short GRBs. We discuss connections between the cluster dynamical state and/or matter composition and compact object mergers, the leading model for the origin of short GRBs. Finally, we present results from a weak lensing survey based on archival Very Large Telescope (VLT) images in the areas of 5 other short GRBs.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures, accepted by Ap

Efficient cross polarized wave generation for compact, energy-scalable, ultrashort laser sources

International audienceThe generation of high contrast and ultrashort laser pulses via a compact and energy-scalable cross polarized wave filter is presented. The setup incorporates a waveguide spatial filter into a single crystal XPW configuration, enabling high energy and high intensity transmission, efficient contrast enhancement and pulse shortening at the multi-mJ level. Excellent XPW conversion of up to 33% (global efficiency: 20%, intensity transmission: 40%) led to an output energy of 650 ?J for an input of 3.3 mJ. Additionally, efficient conversion under specific input phase conditions, allowed pulse shortening from 25 fs to 9.6 fs, indicating the prospective application of this setup as a high energy, ultrabroad laser source. © 2010 Optical Society of America

Invasive Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma with Lepidic Growth Pattern in a Pregnant Patient

Among the differential diagnoses that should be considered in acute respiratory failure (ARF) are infectious processes, autoimmune diseases, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, and pulmonary neoplasia. Timely diagnosis of lung neoplasia is complicated in the early stages. An opportune diagnosis, as well as the specific treatment, decrease mortality. ARF occurs 1 in 500 pregnancies and is most common during the postpartum period. Among the specific etiologies that cause ARF during pregnancy that must be considered are: (1) preeclampsia; (2) embolism of amniotic fluid; (3) peripartum cardiomyopathy; and (4) trophoblastic embolism. The case of a 36-year-old patient with a 33-week pregnancy and ARF is presented. The patient presented dyspnea while exerting moderate effort that progressed to orthopnea and type 1 respiratory insufficiency. Imaging studies showed bilateral alveolar infiltrates and predominantly right areas of consolidation. Blood cultures, a galactomannan assay and IgG antibodies against mycoplasma pneumoniae, were reported as negative. Autoimmune etiology was ruled out through an immunoassay. A percutaneous pulmonary biopsy was performed and an invasive pulmonary adenocarcinoma with lepidic growth pattern (i.e. lepidic pulmonary adenocarcinoma, LPA) result was reported. This etiology is rare and very difficult to recognize in acute respiratory failure cases. After infectious, autoimmune and interstitial lung fibrosis have been excluded the clinician must suspect of lung cancer in a patient with acute respiratory failure and chest imaging compatible with the presence of ground-glass nodular opacities, a solitary nodule or mass with bronchogram, and lung consolidation. In the presence of acute respiratory failure, the suspicion of pulmonary neoplasia in an adult of reproductive age must be timely. Failure to recognize this etiology can lead to fatal results

Energy-scalable temporal cleaning device for femtosecond laser pulsesbased on cross-polarized wave generation

International audienceWe report on a compact energy-scalable device for generating high-fidelity femtosecond laser pulses based on spatial filtering through a hollow-core fiber followed by a nonlinear crystal for crosspolarized wave (XPW) generation. This versatile device is suited for temporal pulse cleaning over a wide range of input energies (from 0.1 to >10 mJ) and is successfully qualified on different ultrafast laser systems. Full characterization of the XPW output is presented. In particular, we demonstrate the generation of 1.6 mJ energy pulses starting from 11 mJ input pulse energy. The temporal contrast of the pulses is enhanced by more than 4 orders of magnitude. In addition, pulse shortening from 40 fs down to 15 fs Fourier-transform limit yields an overall peak-power transmission of up to 50%. This device not only serves as an integrated pulse contrast filter inside an ultrafast laser amplifier but also as a simple back-end solution for temporal post-compression of amplified pulses