Metacercarial aggregation of Fasciola hepatica and Paramphistomum daubneyi was studied under experimental conditions to determine if the formation of these aggregates was influenced by environmental factors, or it was a characteristic of trematode species. This process was studied using the confinement of infected snails on the bottom of Petri dishes (diameter, 14 cm) for 3 days. The formation of metacercarial aggregates of F. hepatica was not significantly modified by environmental factors such as intensity and duration of lighting, quality and volume of water. Metacercariae of F. hepatica were more numerous on the Petri dish walls and 63.9% of them constituted aggregates. In contrast, most metacercariae of P. daubneyi were found on the Petri dish bottoms and 78.3% of them were isolated or in groups of two metacercariae each. The mean number of metacercariae per aggregate ranged from 6.7 to 12.2 in the case of F. hepatica, and from 2.7 to 4.5 in the case of P. daubneyi. However, these mean numbers were independent of the site of cercarial attachment. The tendency of cercariae to form metacercarial aggregations was a characteristic of F. hepatica and was species determined.

The Gaia-ESO Survey (GES) is a large public spectroscopic survey that has collected spectra of about 100,000 stars. The survey provides not only the reduced spectra, but also the radial velocities, stellar parameters and surface abundances resulting from the analysis of the spectra. We present the work of the groups that analysed the spectra of the hottest stars in that Survey. The large temperature range that is covered (Teff = 7,000 to 50,000 K) requires the use of different analysis codes by the different groups. Eight groups each analysed part of the data, with significant overlap that allowed cross-checks. In total 17,693 spectra of 6,462 stars were analysed, most of them in 37 open star clusters. The homogenisation of all this information led to stellar parameters for 5,584 stars. Abundances for at least one of the elements He, C, N, O, Ne, Mg, Al, Si and Sc were determined for 292 stars. The GES hot star data, as well as the Survey data in general, will be of considerable use in future studies of stellar evolution and open clusters.

Synchrotron-based micro-X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) equipment has been used to analyze impurities in polar ice. A customized sample holder has been developed and the μXRF equipment has been adapted with a thermal control system to keep samples unaltered during analyses. Artificial ice samples prepared from ultra-pure water were analyzed to investigate possible contamination and/or experimental artefacts. Analyses of polar ice from Antarctica (Dome C and Vostok) confirm this μXRF technique is non-destructive and sensitive. Experiments can be reproduced to confirm or refine results by focusing on interesting spots such as crystal grain boundaries or specific inclusions. Integration times and resolution can be adjusted to optimize sensitivity. Investigation of unstable particles is possible due to the short analysis time. In addition to identification of elements in impurities, μXRF is able to determine their speciations. The accuracy and reliability of the results confirm the potential of this technique for research in glaciology.

This study describes epidemiological trends for acute rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) in Belgium in children aged ⩽5 years during the period June 2007 to May 2014 after the introduction of routine rotavirus (RV) vaccination. This period encompassed the switch from lyophilized to the liquid formulation of Rotarix™ (GlaxoSmithKline, Belgium) in August 2011. Uptake of RV vaccine remained consistently high throughout the study period with Rotarix the brand most often used. RV was present in 9% (1139/12 511) of hospitalized cases with acute gastroenteritis included in the study. Epidemiological trends for hospital admissions for RVGE remained consistent throughout the study period, with no evidence of any change associated with the switch from lyophilized to liquid formulation of Rotarix. This suggests both formulations perform similarly, with the liquid formulation not inferior regarding ability to reduce hospital admissions for acute RVGE in children aged ⩽5 years. A strong seasonal effect was observed with most RVGE occurring in the winter months but with some variability in intensity, with highest incidence found in those aged 6–24 months. The main observation was the decreased number of hospital admissions for RVGE in Belgium that occurred during winter 2013/2014.

The B fields in OB stars (BOB) survey is an ESO large programme collecting spectropolarimetric observations for a large number of early-type stars in order to study the occurrence rate, properties, and ultimately the origin of magnetic fields in massive stars. As of July 2014, a total of 98 objects were observed over 20 nights with FORS2 and HARPSpol. Our preliminary results indicate that the fraction of magnetic OB stars with an organised, detectable field is low. This conclusion, now independently reached by two different surveys, has profound implications for any theoretical model attempting to explain the field formation in these objects. We discuss in this contribution some important issues addressed by our observations (e.g., the lower bound of the field strength) and the discovery of some remarkable objects.

Digital images are matrices of equally spaced pixels, each containing a photon count. This photon count is a stochastic process due to the quantum nature of light. It follows that all images are noisy. Ever since digital images have existed, numerical methods have been proposed to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. Such ‘denoising’ methods require a noise model and an image model. It is relatively easy to obtain a noise model. As will be explained in the present paper, it is even possible to estimate it from a single noisy image.

We present preliminary results of a 4-month campaign carried out in the framework of the Mons project, where time-resolved Hα observations are used to study the wind and circumstellar properties of a number of OB stars.

We present the results from the spectroscopic follow-up of WR140 (WC7 + O4-5) during its last periastron passage in january 2009. This object is known as the archetype of colliding wind binaries and has a relatively large period (≃8 years) and eccentricity (≃0.89). We provide updated values for the orbital parameters, new estimates for the WR and O star masses and new constraints on the mass-loss rates.

During the five years of the mission, the Gaia spectrograph, the Radial VelocitySpectrometer (RVS) will repeatedly survey the celestial sphere down to magnitudeV ~ 17–18. This talk presents: (i) the system which is currently developed withinthe Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC) to reduce and calibrate thespectra and to derive the radial and rotational velocities, (ii) the RVS expectedperformances and (iii) scientific returns.

Benign radial scars, lesions characterised histologically by a fibroelastic core surrounded by stellate duct proliferation, cannot be differentiated from lesions with associated invasive or non-invasive carcinoma on imaging, and histological sampling is therefore mandatory. There is also extensive evidence of the frequency with which radial scars are associated with malignancy and with other lesions that have an associated risk of malignancy. The traditionally accepted management has been the surgical excision of all suspected radial scars because insufficient tissue was removed by standard biopsy techniques to exclude associated lesions. In more recent series, it has been shown that with extensive tissue sampling of such lesions with core biopsy and modern vacuum-assisted sampling devices, the presence of associated malignancy can be excluded, thus negating the need for surgical excision.

We present recent work undertaken by the Evolution and Seismic Tools Activity (ESTA) team of the CoRoT Seismology Working Group. The new ESTA-Task 3 aims at testing, comparing and optimising stellar evolution codes which include microscopic diffusion of the chemical elements resulting from pressure, temperature and concentration gradients. The results already obtained are globally satisfactory, but some differences between the different numerical tools appear that require further investigations.

After repair of tetralogy of Fallot, many patients present in need of reoperative surgical reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract. The predominant physiologic lesion is pulmonary insufficiency, but there may also be varying degrees of obstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract. In the past, it has been felt that patients tolerate pulmonary insufficiency reasonably well. In some patients, however, the long-term effects of pulmonary insufficiency and subsequent right ventricular dilation and dysfunction are associated with poor exercise tolerance and increased incidence of arrhythmias and sudden death.1,2 Numerous studies support replacement of the pulmonary valve as treatment for pulmonary insufficiency in order to improve performance, optimize hemodynamics, and better control arrhythmias.3–10 The indications for reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract in this setting, nonetheless, as well as the operative strategy, continue to evolve. There are multiple surgical options for replacement of the pulmonary valve for these patients, including aortic and pulmonary homografts, stented and stentless porcine valves, porcine valved conduits, bovine jugular venous conduits, and even mechanical valves and mechanical valved conduits.11–32 It was a less than ideal experience with these currently available options that stimulated our interest into employing alternative materials and techniques. Favorable experimental and clinical experience with valves made of a polytetrafluoroethylene monoleaflet33–36 encouraged us to consider a new method of reconstruction with this material, using a bifoliate polytetrafluoroethylene valve. In this work, we review our indications for replacement of the pulmonary valve after repair of tetralogy of Fallot, the surgical options available, and our experience reconstructing the right ventricular outflow tract with a new surgically created bifoliate polytetrafluoroethylene valve.

The abilities for both computer technology, and intra-operative video-imaging, are evolving rapidly. The merger of these two sciences can be very beneficial, both to congenital cardiac surgeons in general, and in facilitating the creation of a cardioscopic database in particular.

Neurophysiological studies at the cellular level (microelectrode unit activity recordings and local field potentials) as well as electro- and magnetoencephalographic recordings provide converging evidence for a thalamocortical dysregulation at the source of chronic neurogenic pain of both peripheral and central origin. These indicate an increase of low frequency thalamocortical rhythmicity originating in disfacilitation of thalamic relay neurons, followed by cortical activation due to asymmetries of corticocortical inhibition. This process, called thalamocortical dysrhythmia, might become self-sustained and, thus, chronic due to recurrent thalamoreticulothalamic and corticoreticulothalamic feedback inhibition. Our surgical approach is centered on re-establishment of normal thalamocortical oscillatory activity using small, strategically placed medial thalamic and prethalamic lesions. These reduce the increased low frequency thalamocortical recurrent network activity via low frequency desamplification and thalamic disinhibition, providing long term therapeutic efficiency coupled with sparing of the specific thalamocortical loops.

This physiopathological framework should be helpful when considering differential mechanisms and treatment modalities for different types of chronic pain. It underscores the risks of any surgical procedure aiming at reducing further the activation of specific thalamic relay cells and, thus, increasing thalamic disfacilitation and dysrhythmic pain mechanisms. In addition, the normal low frequency generation by activation of the paralimbic and high order association networks provides, in the context of a well established thalamocorticothalamic divergent and, thus, interactive organization, a basis for understanding the relevance of the conceptual-affective internal environment in the maintenance and amplification of many chronic neurogenic pain situations.

Salbutamol (albuterol) is a β-adrenergic agonist marketed as a racemic (50: 50) mixture of R- and S-enantiomers (rac-salbutamol). Since only R-salbutamol is pharmacologically active and S-salbutamol has a longer half-life in humans, we examined R-salbutamol as a performance enhancer and repartitioning agent in domestic chickens. The effects of feeding diets containing R-salbutamol (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg diet) and rac-salbutamol (10 mg/kg diet) from day 21 to 42 post hatching on growth performance, carcass characteristics and tissue concentrations of R- and S-salbutamol in male and female broilers were compared with a control diet. R-salbutamol in the diet lowered the weight gains in both sexes, but the magnitude of reduction was greater in males as indicated by a significant R-salbutamol ✕ gender interaction. R-salbutamol also lowered food intake and improved food conversion ratios in both sexes. The relative weights of breast muscle and leg muscle were significantly increased and the relative weight of the fat pad was significantly decreased in birds of both sexes given diets containing R-salbutamol. Carcass protein content increased and carcass fat content decreased but the differences were not statistically significant. A significant dose-response effect was observed for tissue concentrations of R-salbutamol in all tissues, except the fat. Performance and carcass parameters in chickens given the 5 mg/kg R-salbutamol diet were similar to those given the 10 mg/kg rac-salbutamol diet, but tissue concentrations of R-salbutamol were lower. Chickens given the 10 mg/ kg rac-salbutamol diet had higher tissue concentrations of salbutamol than chickens given the 10 mg/kg R-salbutamol diet and higher concentrations of S-salbutamol than R-salbutamol in liver and leg muscle. Overall, these results demonstrate that R-salbutamol is an effective repartitioning agent in broiler chickens.

A specific method for the automatic starting of strands fed through stopper flow control is presented. The methodology includes on one hand the estimation of the flow rate in function of the stopper opening, and on the other hand the qualification of the stopper flow control system prior to strand starting. Moreover, metallurgy and behaviour of different steel grades are considered in order to optimize the mould filling time. Results are given from the installation of the system on one slab caster which produces a wide range of steel grades, and on one bloom caster which produces stainless steel.

Neuropsychiatric surgery has had a long and complex history with examples of less than optimal surgical procedures implemented in wrong settings. Such past errors have raised important philosophical and ethical issues that remain with us for good reasons. However, the existence of enormous suffering due to chronic therapy-resistant disabling neuropsychiatric disorders compels a search for alternative surgical approaches based on a sound understanding of the underlying physiopathological mechanisms. We bring evidence, from single cell physiology and magnetoencephalography, for the existence of a set of neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by localized and protracted low frequency spontaneous recurrent activation of the thalamocortical system. This condition, labeled thalamocortical dysrhythmia, underlies certain chronic psychotic, affective, obsessive compulsive, anxiety and impulse control disorders. Considering the central role of recurrent oscillatory thalamocortical properties in the generation of normal hemispheric functions, we propose a surgical approach that provides a reestablishment of normal thalamocortical oscillations without reduction of cortical tissue and its specific thalamic connectivity. It consists of small strategically placed pallidal and medial thalamic lesions that serve to make subcritical the increased low frequency thalamocortical recurrent network activity. This result is attained via reduction of both thalamic overinhibition and low frequency over-synchronization. Thalamic disinhibition is obtained by a lesion in the anterior medial paralimbic pallidum. The medial thalamic lesion is localized in the posterior part of the central lateral nucleus, where a large majority of cells have been shown to be locked in low frequency production and to have lost their normal activation patterns. We present here our experience with 11 patients, including clinical follow ups and pre- and postsurgical magnetoencephalographic studies. The evidence speaks (1) for a benign and efficient surgical approach, and (2) for the relevance of the patient’s presurgical cognitive and social settings, making them more or less prone to postoperative psychoreactive manifestations upon rekindling of personal goals and social reentry.

The Very Large Telescope (VLT) Observatory on Cerro Paranal (2635 m) in Northern Chile is approaching completion. After the four 8-m Unit Telescopes (UT) individually saw first light in the last years, two of them were combined for the first time on October 30, 2001 to form a stellar interferometer, the VLT Interferometer. The remaining two UTs will be integrated into the interferometric array later this year, so that any two UTs can be used for interferometry. In this article, we will describe the subsystems of the VLTI and the planning for the following years.

In this note, we propose a general definition of shape which isboth compatible with the one proposed in phenomenology(gestaltism) and with a computer vision implementation. We reversethe usual order in Computer Vision. We do not define “shaperecognition" as a task which requires a “model" pattern which issearched in all images of a certain kind. We give instead a“blind" definition of shapes relying only on invariance and repetition arguments.Given a set of images $\cal I$ , we call shape of this set anyspatial pattern which can be found at several locations of someimage, or in several different images of $\cal I$ . (This meansthat the shapes of a set of images are defined without any a priori assumption or knowledge.) The definition is powerful whenit is invariant and we prove that the following invariancerequirements can be matched in theory and in practice: localcontrast invariance, robustness to blur, noise and sampling,affine deformations. We display experiments with single images and image pairs. In eachcase,we display the detected shapes. Surprisingly enough, but in accordancewith Gestalt theory,the repetition of shapes is so frequent in human environment, that manyshapes can even be learnedfrom single images.