Watt-level narrow-linewidth fibered laser source at 852 nm for FIB application.

We realize a 1 W all-fibered polarized compact and robust laser source at 852 nm for laser cooling of cesium atoms. The architecture is based on the sum-frequency generation of 1540 and 1908 nm lasers, realized through a periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide with a conversion efficiency of 40%. A linewidth of 20 kHz is achieved with the development of a distributed feedback fiber laser at 1908 nm. The operation of this laser source is demonstrated on a focused ion beam (FIB) experiment based on cold cesium atoms.

Watt-level green random laser at 532 nm by SHG of a Yb-doped fiber laser.

We have developed a watt-level random laser at 532 nm. The laser is based on a 1064 nm random distributed ytterbium (Yb) gain-assisted fiber laser seed with a 0.35 nm linewidth and 900 mW polarized output power. A study for the optimal length of the random distributed mirror was carried out. A Yb-doped fiber master oscillator power amplifier architecture is used to amplify the random seeder laser without additional spectral broadening up to 20 W. By using a periodically poled lithium niobate crystal in a single-pass configuration, we generate in excess of 1 W random laser at 532 nm by second-harmonic generation (SHG) with an efficiency of 9%. The green random laser exhibits an instability <1%, an optical signal-to-noise ratio >70 dB, a 0.1 nm linewidth, and excellent beam quality.

Application of the 15N technique to determine the contributions of nitrification and denitrification to the flux of nitrous oxide from aerated pig slurry.

In order to elucidate and quantify nitrogen transformations occurring during aerobic treatment of pig slurry, two laboratory experiments were carried out with contrasting levels of aeration, high level (experiment 1) and low level (experiment 2) of aeration. During these experiments, after reaching steady-state conditions, a single pulse of NO3(-)-15N tracer was added directly to the reactor. When nitrification conditions were prevailing (experiment 1), no transformation of added NO3(-)-15N occurred (98.7% 15N-recovery as nitrates in the liquid slurry). Moreover, the unlabelled nitrous oxide (N2O) measured (7.4% of the total nitrogen content of the raw slurry) strongly demonstrated that the source of N2O emitted was nitrification. During simultaneous nitrification and denitrification conditions (experiment 2), the added NO3(-)-15N was found in gaseous nitrogen forms (N2O-15N: 27%; N2-15N: 18%) and in the liquid (TN-15N: 54%). From this result, it was evident that N2O was mainly emitted by denitrification process. Using the decrease of the isotopic excess of the NO3(-)-15N we calculated that 92% of NO2(-)-N was directly denitrified (as gaseous forms) without any previous oxidation to nitrate.

Breast granuloma and C.R.S.T. syndrome.

One case of CRST syndrome with breast granuloma is presented. The presumed diagnosis were infectious or neoplastic diseases. High doses of corticosteroids led to improvement in breast nodules.

The formamidine amitraz as a hyperglycemic alpha-agonist in worker honeybees (Apis mellifera mellifera L.) in vivo.

Intra-abdominal injection of amitraz (0.25 nmol per honeybee, i.e., approx 2.3 nmol/g) to emerging worker bees, in vivo, led to a significant hypertrehalosemia (300-400%) followed by a hyperglucosemia (approximately equal to 600%). Maxima were reached at 0.5 and 2 h, respectively. A strong negative correlation between glucosemia and trehalosemia appeared after injection of pure phentolamine (1 nmol per bee), suggesting stimulation of trehalase activities. Simultaneous administration of the alpha-blocker at greater than or equal to 0.25 nmol per individual suppressed the hyperglycemic response of amitraz. The formamidine pesticide thus likely acts on the honeybee alpha-aminergic system.

[Acupuncture meridians demythified. Contribution of radiotracer methodology]. / Les méridiens d'acupuncture démythifiés. Apport de la méthodologie des radiotraceurs.

Radioactive trajectories can be visualized by injecting a radioactive tracer, technetium 99 m, at the site of acupuncture points. To determine the exact nature of these trajectories we performed several experiments on healthy volunteers, and our results may be summarized as follows. The target organs of technetium 99 m, and notably the thyroid gland, were always visualized. The circulating radioactivity, visible on scintiscans and confirmed by venous blood counts, was not negligible. The radioactive trajectories we observed were often divided at their starting point and did not extend along the whole length of the acupuncture meridians they might have made visible. The radioactive trajectories disappeared after venous blockade to reappear when the blockade was lifted. Finally, the radioactive trajectories obtained were very similar after injection at the acupuncture point and at a control point. These findings indicate a lymphatic and venous drainage of the radioactive tracer at the site of injection followed by transportation through the veins, rather than visualization of acupuncture meridians as suggested by some authors.

Comparison of 15N analysis by optical emission spectrometry and mass spectrometry for clinical studies during total parenteral nutrition.

During total and stable parenteral nutrition, a branched chain amino acid enriched solution containing [15N]leucine was infused into a patient to determine the fate of the nitrogen administered through this formulation. Measurements of 15N isotopic enrichments were performed on the same biological samples (urinary urea, total plasma proteins and albumin) by optical emission spectrometry (OES) and mass spectrometry (MS) to determine if OES with its specific advantages (cost, handling maintenance) constituted even with low enrichments a useful alternative technique to MS considered as the reference method. The average 15N% enrichments are 0.5% for urinary urea, 0.21% for total plasma proteins and 0.14% for albumin. The coefficients of correlation between both series of 15N% enrichment measurements realized by MS and OES vary from 0.999 to 0.998 and 0.988, respectively, for urinary urea, total plasma proteins and albumin. These results show that OES constituted a very useful analytical technique to obtain reliable information in clinical metabolic studies when low 15N enrichments must be determined.

Effect of Previous Nitrate Deprivation on (15)N-nitrate Absorption and Assimilation by Wheat Seedlings.

Nitrate uptake and assimilation were examined in intact 18 days old wheat (Triticum aestivum, cv Capitole) seedlings either permanently grown on nitrate (high-N seedlings) or N-stressed by transfer to an 0 N-solution for the final 7 days (low-N seedlings). The N-stressed seedlings were characterized by a lower organic N content (2.5 mg instead of 4.9 mg per seedling) and an increased root dry weight. The seedlings received (15)NO(3)K for 7 h in the light. Nitrate uptake was 2.8 times higher in low-N than in high-N seedlings. The assimilation rate was 35 and 16 µmol NO(3)(-)·(h-1)· g(-1) dry weight respectively. Partitioning of NO(3)(-) to reduction and assimilation was the very same in both kinds of seedlings. The results support the view that 50 % of the nitrate reduction in Triticum aestivum, cv Capitole could be achieved in the roots. The present observations are interpreted as evidence that factors closely associated with the seedling N-status may have a major role in regulating NO(3)(-) uptake and assimilation. In low-N seedlings, the high amount of carbohydrates in roots may add its stimulus to the specific inducing effect of nitrate whereas in high-N seedlings, excess of nitrate or amino-acids may set the pace by negative feedback control.