XX. CoRoT-20b: A very high density, high eccentricity transiting giant planet

in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2012), 538

We report the discovery by the CoRoT space mission of a new giant planet, CoRoT-20b. The planet has a mass of 4.24 +/- 0.23 MJ and a radius of 0.84 +/- 0.04 RJ. With a mean density of 8.87 +/- 1.10 g/cm^3 ... [more ▼]

We report the discovery by the CoRoT space mission of a new giant planet, CoRoT-20b. The planet has a mass of 4.24 +/- 0.23 MJ and a radius of 0.84 +/- 0.04 RJ. With a mean density of 8.87 +/- 1.10 g/cm^3, it is among the most compact planets known so far. Evolution models for the planet suggest a mass of heavy elements of the order of 800 ME if embedded in a central core, requiring a revision either of the planet formation models or of planet evolution and structure models. We note however that smaller amounts of heavy elements are expected from more realistic models in which they are mixed throughout the envelope. The planet orbits a G-type star with an orbital period of 9.24 days and an eccentricity of 0.56. The star's projected rotational velocity is vsini = 4.5 +/- 1.0 km/s, corresponding to a spin period of 11.5 +/- 3.1 days if its axis of rotation is perpendicular to the orbital plane. In the framework of Darwinian theories and neglecting stellar magnetic breaking, we calculate the tidal evolution of the system and show that CoRoT-20b is presently one of the very few Darwin-stable planets that is evolving towards a triple synchronous state with equality of the orbital, planetary and stellar spin periods. [less ▲]

The Museum of Modern Art in Brussels: how 20 years of urban activism can fail

Conference (2012, September 01)

The debate around the construction of the Museum of Modern Art in Brussels in the 1960’s and 70’s is the most revealing illustration of the urban struggle between « the ancients and the moderns”, in which ... [more ▼]

The debate around the construction of the Museum of Modern Art in Brussels in the 1960’s and 70’s is the most revealing illustration of the urban struggle between « the ancients and the moderns”, in which the associations play a crucial part besides the public authorities. From the beginning of the 1960’s, the implantation of the new building is the subject of numerous discussions where the “Ligue Esthétique”, a very conservative association proceeding from the Social Christian Party, founded in 1953, conflicts with the modernist designs of the Minister of Culture Pierre Wigny. Supporting the idea that the container should reflect the content, the Minister appoints the young architect Roger Bastin, whose project is also supported by the museum curator Philippe Roberts-Jones and the association “Les Amis des Musées”, lead by Count René Boël and comprising art patrons and lovers. Situated in a very delicate area of the city, besides the 18th century Place Royale and the Palace of Charles de Lorraine, the project plans the demolition of a historical building block occupied by dwellings and shops, and its replacement by a sculptural concrete building indicating the presence of the museum, almost entirely subterranean. This option earns the project the opposition of two more associations, which arise at the end of the 1960’s with very different backgrounds and aims. The “Quartier des Arts”, composed of members of the industrial aristocracy, politicians and public authorities representatives, is founded in 1967 with the aim of preserving the heritage of the area. Advised by the archaeologist and conservation expert Raymond Lemaire, the association is opposed to the demolition of one of the last ancient districts of Brussels. The ARAU (Atelier de recherche et d’action urbaine), founded in 1969 by the left wing sociologist René Schoonbrodt, fights for the maintain of the housing function of the city centre. The joint action of these very different groups of interest leads to a new version of the project and the giving up of the concrete signal building. But due to the length of the debates, more than a half of the ancient buildings have to be demolished and the other are very strongly restored: neither contemporary architecture, nor ancient heritage has won this urban battle. If the result of this long story seems today very disappointing as to urban design, the study of its mechanism is, on the other hand, particularly interesting: it reveals, through archival research, the complex relations between public and associative actors, where ideological and political considerations mix with personal – or even familial – relations and the hazards of urban life. [less ▲]

Cognitive Mediation and hyper-reflexivity: Analyzing a “non-valid” Rorschach protocol of a schizophrenic patient

Conference (2012, September 01)

Nous proposons de réaliser une analyse du Rorschach d’un sujet schizophrène en phase de stabilisation. Le protocole ne répond pas aux critères de validité (moins de 14 réponses et refus de planche à 3 ... [more ▼]

Nous proposons de réaliser une analyse du Rorschach d’un sujet schizophrène en phase de stabilisation. Le protocole ne répond pas aux critères de validité (moins de 14 réponses et refus de planche à 3 reprises) et ne permet donc pas de réaliser une analyse structurale complète selon les recommandations du Système Intégré. Cependant, une étude que nous qualifierons de « phénoménologique » se révèle intéressante. En centrant notre réflexion sur le processus de médiation cognitive, que le sujet emploie de manière idiosyncrasique lorsqu’il est confronté à la consigne du test, nous observerons que la démarche implicite de « fausse perception » qui est suggérée au sujet (« qu’est-ce que cela pourrait-être ? ») semble difficilement tolérable. La principale particularité de ce protocole consiste en une remise en question par le sujet des éléments perçus, pour finir, la plupart du temps, par rejeter la réponse fournie. Le recours à ce « doute méthodique » est superposable à ce que les théorisations modernes de la psychopathologie phénoménologique appellent l’« hyper-réflexivité schizophrénique » (Sass, 1992, 1994, 2001 ; Stanghellini, 2006). Nous pouvons également réaliser un rapprochement entre ce processus perceptif et les théories du « salience syndrome » développées par la neuropsychologie sociale (Van Os, 2009 ; Van Os & Kapur, 2009). Ces considérations nous permettent de rediscuter la pertinence de la remédiation cognitive basée sur la connaissance de la maladie et la reconnaissance des symptômes associés à laquelle a été soumis le patient. L’analyse du Rorschach nous donne également des informations intéressantes sur la stabilisation symptomatologique de notre patient et sur la composante résiduelle de son trouble schizophrénique. Ces observations semblent incompatibles avec des hypothèses homéostatiques et la possibilité d’un retour à un état antérieur à la schizophrénie, et démontrent l’utilité du diagnostic de schizophrénie résiduelle. Enfin, cette présentation cherchera à construire des ponts entre la méthode du Système Intégré et la psychopathologie phénoménologique moderne. [less ▲]

NGC 1624-2: a slowly rotating, X-ray luminous Of?cp star with an extraordinarily strong magnetic field

in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2012), 425

This paper presents a first observational investigation of the faint Of?p star NGC 1624-2, yielding important new constraints on its spectral and physical characteristics, rotation, magnetic field ... [more ▼]

This paper presents a first observational investigation of the faint Of?p star NGC 1624-2, yielding important new constraints on its spectral and physical characteristics, rotation, magnetic field strength, X-ray emission and magnetospheric properties. Modelling the spectrum and spectral energy distribution, we conclude that NGC 1624-2 is a main-sequence star of mass M ≃ 30 M[SUB]&sun;[/SUB], and infer an effective temperature of 35 ± 2 kK and log g = 4.0 ± 0.2. Based on an extensive time series of optical spectral observations we report significant variability of a large number of spectral lines, and infer a unique period of 157.99 ± 0.94 d which we interpret as the rotational period of the star. We report the detection of a very strong (5.35 ± 0.5 kG) longitudinal magnetic field <B[SUB]z[/SUB]>, coupled with probable Zeeman splitting of the Stokes I profiles of metal lines confirming a surface field modulus of 14 ± 1 kG, consistent with a surface dipole of polar strength ≳20 kG. This is the largest magnetic field ever detected in an O-type star, and the first report of Zeeman splitting of Stokes I profiles in such an object. We also report the detection of reversed Stokes V profiles associated with weak, high-excitation emission lines of O III, which we propose may form in the close magnetosphere of the star. We analyse archival Chandra ACIS-I X-ray data, inferring a very hard spectrum with an X-ray efficiency of log L[SUB]x[/SUB]/L[SUB]bol[/SUB] = -6.4, a factor of 4 larger than the canonical value for O-type stars and comparable to that of the young magnetic O-type star θ[SUP]1[/SUP] Ori C and other Of?p stars. Finally, we examine the probable magnetospheric properties of the star, reporting in particular very strong magnetic confinement of the stellar wind, with η[SUB]*[/SUB] ≃ 1.5 × 10[SUP]4[/SUP], and a very large Alfvén radius, R[SUB]Alf[/SUB] = 11.4 R[SUB]*[/SUB]. Based on spectropolarimetric observations obtained at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) which is operated by the National Research Council of Canada, the Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers (INSU) of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique of France, and the University of Hawaii, as well as on observations obtained using the Narval spectropolarimeter at the Observatoire du Pic du Midi (France), which is operated by the INSU. The spectroscopic data were gathered with five facilities: the 9.2-m Hobby-Eberly Telescope at McDonald Observatory (MDO), the 3.5-m Telescope at Calar Alto Observatory (CAHA), the 1.5-m Telescope at the Observatorio de Sierra Nevada (OSN), the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (ORM) and the 2-m Himalayan Chandra Telescope at Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO). [less ▲]

A Middle Devonian Callixylon (Archaeopteridales) from Ronquières, Belgium

in Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology (2012), 183

Influence of selected parameters on the flotation of Cu-Mo ore from Ellatzite deposit in Bulgaria

in Proceedings of the XXVI International Mineral Processing Congress (2012, September)

Laboratory batch tests having preliminary and orientation character aiming at improvement of the molybdenum flotation at Ellatzite copper processing plant in Bulgaria have been conducted. The following ... [more ▼]

Laboratory batch tests having preliminary and orientation character aiming at improvement of the molybdenum flotation at Ellatzite copper processing plant in Bulgaria have been conducted. The following technological parameters have been screened to study their influence on the grade and recovery of copper and molybdenum during the rougher flotation stage: flotation pulp density, pH, addition of secondary collector and replacement of MIBC by pine oil as a frother. The results have shown that slightly better grade/recovery figures could be obtained for both copper and molybdenum at lower flotation pulp densities. The addition of kerosene has improved the recovery of molybdenum however on the expense of that of copper. The effects from pH variation and the replacement of MIBC by pine oil as a frother have been almost negligible. [less ▲]

The clinical and genetic characteristics of patients with gigantism

in Abstract Book - 13th International Workshop on Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (2012, September)

Monographie du plan de cohésion sociale de la commune de Herstal – Evaluation des plans de cohésion sociale en Région Wallonne

Report (2012)

Il s'agit d'une étude approfondie du Plan de Cohésion Sociale de la commune d'Herstal réalisée dans le cadre de l'évaluation des processus de mise en oeuvre des PCS au niveau local. La monographie propose ... [more ▼]

Il s'agit d'une étude approfondie du Plan de Cohésion Sociale de la commune d'Herstal réalisée dans le cadre de l'évaluation des processus de mise en oeuvre des PCS au niveau local. La monographie propose une analyse minutieuse des cinq entretiens approfondis qui ont été menés avec des acteurs-clefs du PCS de la commune. Au total, six monographies ont été réalisées afin de comprendre les mécanismes et les éléments-clefs de la mise en oeuvre des PCS au niveau local. La synthèse des six études de cas fait l'objet d'un rapport intermédiaire de la recherche intitulé: "intégration des études de cas approfondies". [less ▲]

Distribution and identification of molecular interactions between tomato roots and bacterial biofilms

Conference (2012, September)

Some non pathogenic microorganisms evolving in the root micro-environment can trigger a positive effect on plant, increasing host defense against disease or/and directly inhibiting growth of pathogen in ... [more ▼]

Some non pathogenic microorganisms evolving in the root micro-environment can trigger a positive effect on plant, increasing host defense against disease or/and directly inhibiting growth of pathogen in soil (1). To initiate both phenomena leading to biocontrol activity, microorganisms use plant exudates to grow on roots and to produce in-situ active compounds. In Bacilli, cyclic lipopeptides of the surfactin, iturin and fengycin families represent important antibiotics involved in biocontrol (2). Recent studies in microbiology allowed a better understanding of plant microorganism interactions but few has been done at the molecular level. In this study, MALDI MS imaging has been used to study the nature of the secreted lipopeptide molecules, their relative quantity and their distribution in the root’s environment. Disinfected tomato seeds were first germinated at 28°C in sterile conditions for germination. Seedlings were then placed in Petri dish on ITO glass slide recovered with a thin layer of plant nutritive solution (Hoagland) containing 1,75% of agar and treated with freshly-grown cells of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens S499. Petri dishes were finally incubated vertically in phytotron at 28°C with a 16h photoperiod. Different root age / time of incubation were studied: 13 / 3; 13 / 7; 21 / 14 and 39 / 32. Control tomato root (without bacterial treatment) of the same ages were also analyzed (13 / 0; 21 / 0 and 42 / 0. For MALDI imaging experiments, the ITO slide was removed from the agar and dried in a dessiccator under vacuum. The matrix solution (α-cyano-hydroxycinnamic acid, 5mg/mL in ACN/0.2% TFA 70/30) was applied with an ImagePrep automated sprayer (Bruker Daltonics). An UltraFlex II TOF/TOF and a Solarix FT-ICR mass spectrometers were used to record molecular cartographies. The average mass spectra recorded around the tomato root (2-3 mm on both sides of the root) showed that lipopeptides were major compounds detected on the agar. The relative intensity of lipopeptides families varied with respect to the age of the root/biofilm system. In the 13/3 system, 3 homologues of surfactins were essentially detected (C13, C14 and C15), with very few iturins and fengycins. Their localizations were identical, whatever the considered homologue. Then the production of iturin and fengycin families increases in older systems (13/7 and 21/14) and a novel homologue of surfactin is detected (C12). Some variations in localizations within families may be observed (around the root or at the close vicinity of it in function of the considered homologue or alkali adduct). Then for the oldest system we studied, iturins and fengycins are not detected anymore and the localization of surfactins is less precise. In the 39/32 system, we also detected unknown compounds at 986.6, 1000.6, 1014.7 and 1028.7 m/z. The mass range of these compounds allied to the mass difference between two consecutive ion peaks let us think that these unknown compounds could be a new lipopeptide family. Investigations are in progress to identify these new secondary metabolites of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. [less ▲]

Compte-rendu de l'ouvrage de F. Prescendi, Y. Volokhine (éd.), Dans le laboratoire de l’historien des religions. Mélanges offerts à Philippe Borgeaud

in Kernos : Revue Internationale et Pluridisciplinaire de Religion Grecque (2012), 25