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Acritus sutirca sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Eocene Baltic amber on the basis of one adult male specimen. As the first extinct member of the subfamily Abraeinae (Histeridae) and the smallest known fossil histerid specimen, this material was examined using a combination of light microscopy and X-ray micro-computed tomography (µ CT). Internal features of the abdomen are well preserved, allowing us to study sclerotized parts of the aedeagus and illustrate these structures in detail. The current finding expands the range of known Histeridae diversity from the Eocene (48–34 Ma) "amber forests" of Europe. The absolute size limits and the probable average size for Baltic amber coleopteran inclusions are also briefly discussed (urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A2B17479-8628-47C7-A8D4-3E0789BF088B). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the solar flare effects on ionospheric absorption with the systematic analysis of ionograms measured at midlatitude and low-latitude ionosonde stations under different solar zenith angles. The lowest recorded ionosonde echo, the minimum frequency (fmin , a qualitative proxy for the "nondeviative" radio wave absorption occurring in the D-layer), and the d fmin parameter (difference between the value of the fmin and the mean fmin for reference days) have been considered. Data were provided by meridionally distributed ionosonde stations in Europe and South Africa during eight X - and M -class solar flares in solar cycle 23. Total and partial radio fade-out was experienced at every ionospheric station during intense solar flares (> M 6). The duration of the total radio fade-out varied between 15 and 150 min and it was highly dependent on the solar zenith angle of the ionospheric stations. Furthermore, a solar-zenith-angle-dependent enhancement of the fmin (2–9 MHz) and d fmin (1–8 MHz) parameters was observed at almost every station. The fmin and d fmin parameters show an increasing trend with the enhancement of the X-ray flux. Based on our results, the d fmin parameter is a good qualitative measure for the relative variation of the "nondeviative" absorption, especially in the case of the less intense solar flares, which do not cause total radio fade-out in the ionosphere (class < M 6). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Spectroscopic information such as production, identification, half-lives, decay modes and possible excited states for experimentally known nuclides of mass numbers 266, 270, 274, 278, 282, 286, 290, 294, and 298 are presented together with the recommended values, superseding information and data in the previous ENSDF and NDS evaluation by 2005Gu33. No nuclides have yet been identified for A=302. In the last 14 years, large amounts of new and definitive data on the superheavy nuclides (SHN) have become available, thus changing almost entirely the landscape of nuclear data in this mass region, as also indicated by a number of recent review articles: 2017Og01, 2016Ho09, 2016Ho06 (for fission barriers), 2015Og05, 2015Og07, 2015Mo25, 2015OgZX, 2013Th02, and 2011Og07. See 2016Ka49 for IUPAC technical discussions for the discovery of Z=117 (Ts), Z=115 (Mc), Z=113 (Nh), 2001Ka70 and 2003Ka71 for Z=110-112, 2011Ba54 for Z≥113, 2009Ba62 for Z=112, and 2016Ka50 for Z=118 (Og). A special issue of Nuclear Physics A444 (2015) is devoted to research on superheavy elements (SHE) with 27 articles. In particular, see article by 2015Ko20 on mass spectrometric searches for superheavy elements in terrestrial matter. See also Proceedings of Nobel Symposium NS160 'Chemistry and Physics of Heavy and Superheavy Elements' published in Eur. Phys. Jour. Web of Conferences 131 (2016), in particular 2016UtZZ, 2016DmZZ and 2016HoZY. See also 2016DuZX for future prospects of discovery of elements beyond Z=118 A = 266 : 266Db, 266Sg, 266Bh, 266Hs and 266Mt are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=266. Identification of 266Lr from α decay of 270Db has been proposed by 2014Kh04 from experiments at GSI, but complete details and analyses of all the four decay chains reported in this experiment have not yet been published, and discussion in 2015Og05 review article considering their work from Dubna (2013Og04, 2011Og04) and from GSI (2014Kh04) still concluded that 270Db decayed dominantly by SF mode, in contrast with dominant α decay mode proposed by 2014Kh04. Experiments carried out at FLNR-JINR-Dubna in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL, GSI-SHIP facility, RIKEN, and LBNL facilities: 266Db from the α -decay of 282Nh in two correlated decay chains at Dubna; 266Sg as α -daughter of 270Hs in 12 correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI; 266Bh in α decay of 278Nh in three correlated decay chains observed at RIKEN, and also directly with one event in 249Bk(22Ne,5n) at LBNL, and with four events in 243Am(26Mg,3n) at HIRFL-Lanzhou; 266Hs as α -daughter of 270Ds at GSI in two different experiments, six correlated decays in the first, and 25 decay chains in the second experiment, the analysis of which has not been fully reported as yet; and 266Mt directly in 209Bi(58Fe,n) reaction at GSI in two different experiments, observing three events in the first experiment and 12 events in the second, also produced in 208Pb(59Co,n) reaction at LBNL, observing five correlated decay chains. See also 2000Ho27 for discussion on 266Sg and 266Mt. A = 270 : 270Db, 270Bh, 270Hs, 270Mt and 270Ds are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=270 are presented. Experiments carried out at FLNR-JINR-Dubna in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL, GSI-SHIP facility, and RIKEN: 270Db from the decay of 294Ts in six correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI; 270Bh as α great-granddaughter of 282Nh in two correlated decay chains observed at Dubna; 270Hs directly in 248Cm(26Mg,4n) reaction at GSI, and in 226Ra(48Ca,4n) reaction at Dubna; 270Mt as granddaughter of 278Ts in three correlated decay chains at RIKEN; and 270Ds directly in 207Pb(64Ni,n) at GSI in 33 correlated decay chains. A = 274 : 274Bh, 274Mt and 274Rg are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=274. Search for 274Ds in 238U(40Ar, 4n),E=5.7 MeV/nucleon reaction and subsequent α decays at GSI (1990Sc11) proved negative. Experiments carried out at FLNR-JINR-Dubna in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL, GSI-SHIP facility, and RIKEN: 274Bh from the decay of 294Ts in six correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI, 274Mt produced as α daughter of 282Nh in two correlated decay chains observed at Dubna, and 274Rg as α daughter of 278Nh produced in three correlated decay chains at RIKEN. A = 278 : 278Mt, 278Rg and 278Nh are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=278. A very tentative evidence is provided for 278Bh and 278Hs from a chain originally observed and assigned to 289Fl by 1999Og10, but later reassigned by 2004Og10 to 290Fl, and further discussed in detail by 2016Ho09, where, based on systematics of α decays and SF half-lives, 290Fl is proposed to decay via ε mode to 290Nh, which then decays by an α chain, ending in 278Bh that decays by SF mode. Experiments carried out at FLNR-JINR-Dubna in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, GSI-SHIP facility, and RIKEN: 278Mt from the decay of 294Ts in six correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI, 278Rg produced as α daughter of 282Nh in two correlated decay chains observed at Dubna, and 278Nh produced directly in three correlated decay chains at RIKEN. A = 282 : 282Rg, 282Cn and 282Nh are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=282. A very tentative evidence is provided for 282Mt and 282Ds from a chain originally observed and assigned to 289Fl by 1999Og10, but later reassigned by 2004Og10 to 290Fl, and further discussed in detail by 2016Ho09, where, based on systematics of α decays and SF half-lives, 290Fl is proposed to decay via ε mode to 290Nh, which then decays by an α chain, ending in 278Bh that decays by SF mode. Experiments carried out at FLNR-Dubna, in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, and at GSI-SHIP facility confirm the identification of these isotopes, 282Rg in α decay chain of 294Ts in six correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI, 282Cn produced in four ways at Dubna: independently in one correlated decay chain, as α daughter of 286Lv in 11 correlated decay chains, as α grand-daughter of 290Lv in 12 correlated decay chains, as α great-grand daughter of 294Og in four correlated decay chains, and 282Nh produced at Dubna directly in two correlated decay chains. A = 286 : 286Nh and 286Fl are the only experimentally identified nuclides with A=286. A very tentative evidence is provided for 286Rg and 286Cn from a chain originally observed and assigned to 289Fl by 1999Og10, but later reassigned by 2004Og10 to 290Fl, and further discussed in detail by 2016Ho09, where, based on systematics of α decays and SF half-lives, 290Fl is proposed to decay via ε mode to 290Nh, which then decays by an α chain, ending in 278Bh that decays by SF mode. 2017Ka66 in experiments at RIKEN using GARIS separator interpret one correlated decay chain in three different ways, one involving possible production of 294Lv in 248Cm(48Ca,2n),E=261.6 MeV, and α decay to 290Fl which further decays to 286Cn. Experiments carried out at FLNR-Dubna, in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, and at GSI-SHIP facility confirm the identification of these isotopes, 286Nh as α grand-daughter of 294Ts in six correlated decay chains, and 286Fl produced in three ways: independently in 11 correlated decay chains, as α daughter of 290Lv in 12 correlated decay chains, and as α grand-daughter of 294Og in four correlated decay chains. A = 290 : 290Mc and 290Lv are the only experimentally identified nuclides with A=290. A tentative evidence is provided for 290Nh and 290Fl from a chain originally observed and assigned to 289Fl by 1999Og10, but later reassigned by 2004Og10 to 290Fl, and further discussed in detail by 2016Ho09, where, based on systematics of α decays and SF half-lives, 290Fl is proposed to decay via ε mode to 290Nh, which then decays by an α chain, ending in 278Bh that decays by SF mode. 2017Ka66 in experiments at RIKEN using GARIS separator interpret one correlated decay chain in three different ways, one involving possible production of 294Lv in 248Cm(48Ca,2n),E=261.6 MeV, and α decay to 290Fl. Experiments carried out at FLNR-Dubna, in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, and at GSI-SHIP facility confirm the identification of these isotopes, 290Mc as α daughter of 294Ts in six correlated decay chains, and 290Lv produced in two ways, independently in 14 correlated decay chains, and as α daughter of 294Og in four correlated decay chains. A = 294 : 294Ts and 294Og are the only experimentally identified nuclides with A=294. Experiments carried out at FLNR-Dubna, in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, and at GSI-SHIP facility confirm the identification of these isotopes, with a total of six EVR- α -SF correlated decay chains observed for 294Ts and four for 294Og. Tentative identification of 294Lv is provided by 2017Ka66 from the observation one correlated event using GARIS-RIKEN facility, where this event is interpreted in three possible ways, two interpretations lead to production of 293Lv and successive odd-A nuclides of 289Fl, 285Cn and 281Ds, whereas the third prediction starts with the production of 294Lv and successive 290Fl and 286Cn nuclides. Search for 294Rg in natural gold materials (2011De03), and for 294Ds, 294Fl and 294Mc in natural Pt, Pb and Bi samples (2011De21) using accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS) proved negative, with extremely low upper limits established. Also 1980St05 did not see any evidence for 294Ds in natural Pt sample using AMS. A = 298 : Search for 298120 through fusion-evaporation reaction at Dubna, and for 298Fl and 298Mc in natural Pt, Pb and Bi samples using accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS) proved negative. Tentative assignment of three α - α - α decay chains by 2016Ho09 to 299120 in 248Cm(54Cr,3n)299120 at GSI was refuted by 2017He11, assigning these correlations to random events, instead. A = 302 : Fluorescent x rays from Z=120 element were observed by 2012Fr03 from compound nucleus 302120 produced in 238U(64Ni,X),E=6.6 MeV/nucleon at GANIL, and x-ray yields were measured, together with minimum average time deduced from x-ray multiplicity. The compound nucleus could decay by 3n- or 4n-channels to produce 299120 or 298120. 2012He05 and 2016Ho09 also produced 302120 compound nucleus in 248Cm(54Cr, xn)302120*,E=6.035 MeV/nucleon; and 238U(64Ni,xn)302120*,E=5.53 MeV/nucleon reactions using UNILAC at GSI. Three α - α - α correlated decays from 248Cm(54Cr,xn)302120* reaction were tentatively assigned by 2016Ho09 to 299120 decay, however, a detailed analysis by 2017He11 refuted this claim, ascribing these events to random sequences. There are no data tables for A=302. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Our aim was to determine the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB), the number needed to screen (NNS), and the diagnostic accuracy of chest X-ray (CXR) screening to detect active pulmonary TB during the 2015 European refugee crisis.Materials and Methods: We evaluated data of all refugees who underwent CXR screening in a single-centre of one German metropolitan area in 2015. We determined the prevalence of TB, NNS, and accuracy of CXR to detect active pulmonary TB. Reference method for active TB was the database of all definite TB cases registered at the Department of Public Health.Results: A total of 17,487 immigrants underwent single-centre CXR screening in 2015; prevalence of definite pulmonary TB was 0.103%. The NNS for detecting one case of active pulmonary TB was 1749. CXR had a sensitivity of 55.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 30.8-78.5%) and a specificity 98.3% (CI 98.1-98.5%) to reveal one case of active TB.Conclusion: Our single-centre study indicates that chest X-ray screening for TB during the 2015 European refugee crisis was of low yield due the low prevalence of TB and high number needed to screen, thus implicating the need for improved screening algorithms adapted to the overwhelming number of refugees.Key Points: • Prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) among refugees in 2015 was low (0.103%). • The number needed to screen to detect one case of active pulmonary TB was 1749. • Tuberculosis X-ray screening resulted in a low sensitivity and high specificity. • Tuberculosis X-ray screening during the European refugee crisis is of low yield. • Improved screening algorithms are needed due to the overwhelming the number of refugees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first absorption spectra recorded in Europe using synchrotron radiation as the X-ray source were the K-edge of Al and the LIII-edge of Cu taken at Frascati electron synchrotron in May 1963 by the French-Italian group comprised of Y. Cauchois, C. Bonnelle and G. Missoni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the idea of an X-ray absorption spectrometer in dispersive geometry was initially conceived for the study of transient phenomena, the instrument at the European Synchrotron Radiation facility has been increasingly exploited for studies at extreme conditions of pressure using diamond anvil cells. The main results of investigations at high pressure obtained at beamline ID24 are reviewed. These concern not only fundamental topics, such as the local and the electronic structure as well as the magnetic properties of matter, but also geological relevant questions such as the behaviour of Fe in the main components of the Earth's interior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiple-analyser-crystal spectrometer for non-resonant inelastic X-ray scattering spectroscopy installed at beamline 1D16 of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility is presented. Nine analyser crystals with bending radii R = I m measure spectra for five different momentum transfer values simultaneously. Using a two-dimensional detector, the spectra given by all analysers can be treated individually. The spectrometer is based on a Rowland circle design with fixed Bragg angles of about 88°. The energy resolution can be chosen between 30-2000 meV with typical incident-photon energies of 6-13 keV. The spectrometer is optimized for studies of valence and core electron excitations resolving both energy and momentum transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Europe has a very rich and diversified cultural heritage of art works, including buildings, monuments and objects of all sizes, involving a great variety of materials. The continuous discovery of new art works opens the problem of their authentication. Advanced analytical techniques can be fundamental to understand the way of life, the culture and the technical and intellectual know-how of the artists. Indeed, the authentication of an art work involves the identification of the used materials, their production techniques and procedures used for the work realization. It is possible to know the origin and provenance of materials, including the location of the natural sources. Advanced analytical techniques also help one to understand degradation processes, corrosion, weathering, and preservation-conservation protocols. In this paper we present a painting attributed to Domenico Ghirlandaio. Ghirlandaio is a well-known artist of fifteenth century who contributes to the apprenticeship of Michelangelo Buonarroti. The study of the pigments used in this painting, which belongs to a private collection, has been supported mainly by means of laboratory two-dimensional X-ray microdiffraction (μXRD2). The possibility to obtain information about not only the phase, but also microstructure allows one to extract interesting consideration and to obtain evidence of the painter’s style and intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to develop clinical guidelines for multidetector computed tomography urography (CTU) by a group of experts from the European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR). Peer-reviewed papers and reviews were systematically scrutinized. A summary document was produced and discussed at the ESUR 2006 and ECR 2007 meetings with the goal to reach consensus. True evidence-based guidelines could not be formulated, but expert guidelines on indications and CTU examination technique were produced. CTU is justified as a first-line test for patients with macroscopic haematuria, at high-risk for urothelial cancer. Otherwise, CTU may be used as a problem-solving examination. A differential approach using a one-, two- or three-phase protocol is proposed, whereby the clinical indication and the patient population will determine which CTU protocol is employed. Either a combined nephrographic-excretory phase following a split-bolus intravenous injection of contrast medium, or separate nephrographic and excretory phases following a single-bolus injection can be used. Lower dose (CTDIvol 5–6 mGy) is used for benign conditions and normal dose (CTDIvol 9–12 mGy) for potential malignant disease. A low-dose (CTDIvol 2–3 mGy) unenhanced series can be added on indication. The expert-based CTU guidelines provide recommendations to optimize techniques and to unify the radiologist’s approach to CTU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deformation experiments with concurrent X-ray microtomography are used to characterize the mechanical properties of a high-porosity carbonate rock from Central Europe (the Tuffeau de Maastricht). Evidence of deformation behavior and pressure-dependent strain localization for this rock are taken into account to define the parameters of an elastoplastic constitutive law with competing hardening and softening mechanisms. Full-field data regarding the compaction localization regime have been used to identify a compromise between compaction hardening and structure deterioration. It was shown that by placing emphasis on the destructuration behavior it was possible to reproduce features such as the elongation of the deformation plateau emerging during compaction band formation, as well as the pressure-dependent inclination of the ensuing compaction bands. Most notably, the comparison between measurements and simulations showed that the strategy here used to constrain the model parameters allows a satisfactory depiction of both the macroscopic deformations and the portion of sample volume across which the compaction zones develop and propagate. These results point out the major benefits of parameter calibration strategies accounting synergistically for global measurements and spatially-distributed deformations, especially in the presence of constitutive laws meant to replicate compaction localization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the import of the European synchrotron radiation ring. Selection of the site for installation; Introduction of the 5.6-Ge V Doris ring; Insertion of undulator and wiggler sources of hard x-ray beams.

A single-bounce capillary with an ellipsoidal shape has been used for two-step focusing in combination with a Fresnel zone plate (FZP). The FZP serves as a first microfocusing element and produces a demagnified micrometer image of the source, before the elliptical capillary makes a last final compression of the beam. With 15 keV X-rays from the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility BM5 bending magnet, the two-step demagnification system produced a focus of about 250 nm with a gain of more than 1000. The use of an ellipsoidal capillary as a micro-mirror under off-axis illumination using micro-prefocusing optics might open up new opportunities in nanofocusing developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]