Using a model for telluric absorption in full-spectrum fits

The typical approach for removing telluric absorption lines from a science spectrum is to divide it by the spectrum of a standard star of spectral type A or B observed close in time and airmass. We present a new method, where we use a model for the transmission of the Earth's atmosphere in a full-spectrum fit, which determines the parameters for the stellar and Earth's atmosphere simultaneously. This eliminates the need of a standard star completely.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, International Workshop on Stellar Spectral Libraries 201

Frequency Analysis of Atrial Fibrillation From the Surface Electrocardiogram

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. Neither the natural history of AF nor its response to therapy are sufficiently predictable by clinical and echocardiographic parameters. Atrial fibrillatory frequency (or rate) can reliably be assessed from the surface electrocardiogram (ECG) using digital signal processing (filtering, subtraction of averaged QRST complexes, and power spectral analysis) and shows large inter-individual variability. This measurement correlates well with intraatrial cycle length, a parameter which appears to have primary importance in AF domestication and response to therapy. AF with a low fibrillatory rate is more likely to terminate spontaneously, and responds better to antiarrhythmic drugs or cardioversion while high rate AF is more often persistent and refractory to therapy. In conclusion, frequency analysis of AF seems to be useful for non-invasive assessment of electrical remodeling in AF and may subsequently be helpful for guiding AF therapy

BBF RFC #111: Inducible expression vector with His tag fusion for purification of RFC25 parts

This Request For Comments (RFC) describes a new expression vector based on the pET expression system and designed for BioBrick RFC25 parts. This design includes all the features of pET expression vectors with a new origin of replication, resistance marker and Multiple Cloning Site (MCS). This MCS contains new restriction sites and a 5’ poly- histidine tag that allows the purification of expressed RFC25 parts. Previous attempts have been prevented by restriction site incompatibility, but using RFC25 parts and their restriction sites enables 5’ fusion to these parts. This new expression vector enables the cloning of RFC25 parts with a 5’ His tag in a single step. This allows the inducible expression of these parts and the easy purification of protein products

BBF RFC #111: Inducible expression vector with His tag fusion for purification of RFC25 parts

This Request For Comments (RFC) describes a new expression vector based on the pET expression system and designed for BioBrick RFC25 parts. This design includes all the features of pET expression vectors with a new origin of replication, resistance marker and Multiple Cloning Site (MCS). This MCS contains new restriction sites and a 5’ poly- histidine tag that allows the purification of expressed RFC25 parts. Previous attempts have been prevented by restriction site incompatibility, but using RFC25 parts and their restriction sites enables 5’ fusion to these parts. This new expression vector enables the cloning of RFC25 parts with a 5’ His tag in a single step. This allows the inducible expression of these parts and the easy purification of protein products

The central dynamics of M3, M13, and M92: Stringent limits on the masses of intermediate-mass black holes

We used the PMAS integral field spectrograph to obtain large sets of radial velocities in the central regions of three northern Galactic globular clusters: M3, M13, and M92. By applying the novel technique of crowded field 3D spectroscopy, we measured radial velocities for about 80 stars within the central ~ 10 arcsec of each cluster. These are by far the largest spectroscopic datasets obtained in the innermost parts of these clusters up to now. To obtain kinematical data across the whole extent of the clusters, we complement our data with measurements available in the literature. We combine our velocity measurements with surface brightness profiles to analyse the internal dynamics of each cluster using spherical Jeans models, and investigate whether our data provide evidence for an intermediate-mass black hole in any of the clusters. The surface brightness profiles reveal that all three clusters are consistent with a core profile, although shallow cusps cannot be excluded. We find that spherical Jeans models with a constant mass-to-light ratio provide a good overall representation of the kinematical data. A massive black hole is required in none of the three clusters to explain the observed kinematics. Our 1sigma (3sigma) upper limits are 5300 M_sun (12000 M_sun) for M3, 8600 M_sun (13000 M_sun) for M13, and 980 M_sun (2700 M_sun) for M92. A puzzling circumstance is the existence of several potential high velocity stars in M3 and M13, as their presence can account for the majority of the discrepancies that we find in our mass limits compared to M92.Comment: accepted for publication in A&A, 20 pages, 15 figures, tables D1 to D6 only available at CD

LE CHANGEMENT ORGANISATIONNEL DES CABINETS COMPTABLES LIBERAUX INDUIT PAR LES EVOLUTIONS DU REFERENTIEL COMPTABLE

1er Janvier 2005 : A partir de cette date, les sociétés cotées en Europe et établissant des comptes consolidés ont l'obligation d'adopter le référentiel IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards). Quant aux entités économiques non cotées, elles appliqueront pour les exercices comptables ouverts à partir du 1 Janvier 2005 deux nouveaux règlements comptables. L'introduction du référentiel IFRS entraîne de profonds changements organisationnels au sein des cabinets comptables et auprès des associés et collaborateurs. L'objet de cette communication est de présenter une grille de lecture issue de la théorie des conventions permettant d'étudier les incertitudes créées auprès des associés des cabinets comptables libéraux et d'analyser les modalités de résolution de l'incertitude créée.Cabinets comptables ; Associés ; IFRS ; Théorie des conventions

Passivating Properties of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Carbide Deposited by PECVD Technique for Photovoltaic Applications

AbstractAmorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide (a-SiCx:H) could be used as a passivating layer in solar cell configuration. We have deposited a-SiCx:H by plasma enhanced CVD on polished silicon wafers. Si-rich a-SiCx:H allows to reach a surface recombination velocity of 7.5cm.s-1. The hydrogenation of silicon surface dangling bonds and the electricalfield-effect near the interface are analyzed by minority carrier lifetime and C(V) measurements and additional FTIR and XPS spectroscopy. The fixed charges within the layers are found to be amphoteric. The interface trap density increases with carbon content in a-SiCx:H because of a lower hydrogen content at the a-SiCx:H/Si interface. The polarity of the fixed charge is depending on the presence of a metallic contact. As a-SiCx:H may be considered as a semiconductor, the a-SiCx:H/c-Si interface is in inversion regime at equilibrium inducing a band bending and accu- mulation when adding a metallic contact

Regulation kardialer K+-Kanäle und deren Blockade im Modell der tachykardie-induzierten Herzinsuffizienz

Ziel der Arbeit war es, im Modell der tachykardie-induzierten Herzinsuffizienz am Kaninchen, die Kalium Kanal-Expression, sowie das Sicherheitsprofil eines vorhofselektiven Antiarrhythmikums (AVE0118) zu testen. Bei experimenteller Herzinsuffizienz mittels tachykarder Stimulation kommt es zusammen mit der Funktionseinschränkung zur biatrialen und biventrikulären Dilatation und Hypertrophie. Gleichzeitig zeigt sich im Oberflächen-EKG eine Zunahme der P-Wellenbreite und der PQ-Zeit bei unveränderter QT-Dauer. Der vorhofselektive K+-Kanal Blocker AVE0118 beeinflusst nicht die ventrikuläre Repolarisation und erzeugt keine ventrikulären Arrhythmien sowohl in gesunden Tieren als auch in der Herzinsuffizienz. Selektive K+-Kanal-Blockade mit AVE0118 war bei experimenteller Herzinsuffizienz sicher, wohingegen Dofetilide und Terfenadine erhebliche proarrhythmogene Nebenwirkungen hatten. Die Expression kardialer K+-Kanäle, nämlich Kv1.5 und KvLQT1, unterliegt in der tachykardie-induzierten Herzinsuffizienz einer differentiellen Regulation in Vorhof und Kammer. Im linken Ventrikel werden Kv1.5 und KvLQT1 herabreguliert, wohingegen ERG und Kv4.3 nicht herabreguliert werden und tendenziell ansteigen. Diese Regulation beginnt schon im frühen Verlauf der Herzinsuffzienz. Im linken Vorhof zeigte sich eine Herabregulation von Kv4.3 und KvLQT1, wohingegen ERG und KV1.5 allenfalls marginal herabreguliert ware

The Barb horse between France and Algeria: insights and paradoxes of a “fossilized breed” (1542-1914)

Lorsque la France débarque dans la régence d’Alger en 1830, le cheval d’Afrique du Nord, qu’elle appelle le Barbe depuis le XVIe siècle, est loin de lui être inconnu. Importé ponctuellement en Europe comme monture de luxe, le Barbe voit pourtant ce statut bouleversé avec la conquête de l’Algérie. Deux héritages équestres très différents, qui se sont lentement formés des deux côtés de la Méditerranée, se heurtent alors brutalement dans le contexte trouble de la guerre puis de l’exploitation coloniale. Le XIXe siècle marque de fait l’apogée d’une grande confusion dans la définition de cet équidé, rendue incohérente du fait de fractures culturelles, sociales et utilitaires. Transformé jusque dans son corps et dans ses fonctions, son identité s’étiole, se brouille, bien que son nom demeure inchangé. La méthodologie prosopographique(2) est une approche permettant de caractériser ces populations équines anciennes et de suivre leurs évolutions.As France lands in the Regency of Algiers in 1830, the North African horse, called “Barbe” in French since the 16th century, is by no means unknown. The Barbary horse has been occasionally imported in Europe as a luxury mount during the early modern period. However, the conquest of Algeria upsets this standing of the Barb. Two very different equestrian heritage, which have slowly formed on both sides of the Mediterranean, then brutally collide in trouble context of war and colonial exploitation. Indeed, the 19th century marks the height of a great confusion in the definition of that equine animal, torn apart by cultural, social and utilitarian divisions. Although its name remains unchanged, the identity of the Barb withers away, while its body and tasks are transformed. The prosopographical method is an approach to define these ancient equine populations and trace their transformations