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The article presents information on the discovery of a star by planet-hunting Kepler space telescope of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It includes information on topics including swarm of comets, intrinsic stellar variations, and black holes. It also discusses alien megastructures in space.

MÖNCH is a 25 µm-pitch charge-integrating detector aimed at exploring the limits of current hybrid silicon detector technology. The small pixel size makes it ideal for high-resolution imaging. With an electronic noise of about 110 eV r.m.s., it opens new perspectives for many synchrotron applications where currently the detector is the limiting factor, e.g. inelastic X-ray scattering, Laue diffraction and soft X-ray or high-resolution color imaging. Due to the small pixel pitch, the charge cloud generated by absorbed X-rays is shared between neighboring pixels for most of the photons. Therefore, at low photon fluxes, interpolation algorithms can be applied to determine the absorption position of each photon with a resolution of the order of 1 µm. In this work, the characterization results of one of the MÖNCH prototypes are presented under low-flux conditions. A custom interpolation algorithm is described and applied to the data to obtain high-resolution images. Images obtained in grating interferometry experiments without the use of the absorption grating G2 are shown and discussed. Perspectives for the future developments of the MÖNCH detector are also presented., Journal of Synchrotron Radiation, 23 (6), ISSN:0909-0495, ISSN:1600-5775

Resume Les auteurs rapportent un cas exceptionnel de gigantomastie gestationnelle chez une patiente dont la grossesse a pu etre menee a terme, puis a ete operee de mastectomie avec reconstruction immediate. Le traitement de choix pour traiter la gigantomastie gestationnelle est la chirurgie. La mastectomie avec reconstruction secondaire doit etre reservee aux situations dans lesquelles l’intervention doit etre rapide. La mastectomie avec reconstruction immediate doit etre preferee a la reconstruction secondaire chaque fois que c’est possible ; il s’agit de l’intervention de choix lorsque la patiente desire d’autres enfants. La plastie mammaire de reduction, quant a elle, est plus esthetique et permet de n’operer la patiente qu’une seule fois, mais elle expose a un risque de recidive non negligeable et est donc a deconseiller chez les patientes desirant d’autres enfants.

The SLS detectors group has a longstanding history in the development of hybrid X-ray detectors for synchrotrons [1]. Hybrid detectors consist of a sensor (usually silicon) absorbing the photons and front-end electronics transforming the charge into a measurable signal. The two parts are distinct and can therefore be optimized separately, depending on the application. The group has the know-how to design sensors and Read-Out Chips (ROC) in-house, assemble the detectors with a high yield for a large number of channels (both wire- and bump-bonding), and develop data acquisition systems and software. The detectors must provide high-quality data and be reliable for the daily user operation at the beamlines. They are normally developed to target specific applications, and particular effort is put into the integration of the systems at the beamlines and on their reliability. The detector group works in close connection with the beamline scientists of the SLS as early as the development phase and then later to t...

Resume Le lambeau antero-lateral de cuisse est habituellement utilise en lambeau libre pour la couverture et la reconstruction a distance. La couverture d’une escarre trochanterienne profonde fait en general appel a des lambeaux regionaux musculaires ou musculocutanes comme le lambeau de tenseur du fascia lata ou le lambeau de vaste lateral. Nous rapportons l’utilisation originale d’un lambeau fasciocutane antero-lateral de cuisse dans sa version pediculee, precedee d’une therapie par pression negative pour la couverture d’une escarre trochanterienne. Il s’agissait d’un patient âge de 58 ans, paraplegique complet, ayant des escarres multiples, dont une trochanterienne droite avec exposition osseuse. Au recul de six mois, une bonne qualite de couverture trochanterienne etait obtenue, avec des sequelles minimes du site donneur. Le lambeau fasciocutane antero-lateral de cuisse dans sa version pediculee est une alternative possible aux traitements habituellement proposes pour la couverture des escarres trochanteriennes.

We present results from high-resolution, optical to near-IR imaging of host stars of Kepler Objects of Interest (KOIs), identified in the original Kepler field. Part of the data were obtained under the Kepler imaging follow-up observation program over seven years (2009 - 2015). Almost 90% of stars that are hosts to planet candidates or confirmed planets were observed. We combine measurements of companions to KOI host stars from different bands to create a comprehensive catalog of projected separations, position angles, and magnitude differences for all detected companion stars (some of which may not be bound). Our compilation includes 2297 companions around 1903 primary stars. From high-resolution imaging, we find that ~10% (~30%) of the observed stars have at least one companion detected within 1" (4"). The true fraction of systems with close (< ~4") companions is larger than the observed one due to the limited sensitivities of the imaging data. We derive correction factors for planet radii caused by the dilution of the transit depth: assuming that planets orbit the primary stars or the brightest companion stars, the average correction factors are 1.06 and 3.09, respectively. The true effect of transit dilution lies in between these two cases and varies with each system. Applying these factors to planet radii decreases the number of KOI planets with radii smaller than 2 R_Earth by ~2-23% and thus affects planet occurrence rates. This effect will also be important for the yield of small planets from future transit missions such as TESS., Published in AJ; 33 pages; ascii files with Tables 2,3,8,9,10 are available; added references column to Tables 3 and 8 for v3

JUNGFRAU (adJUstiNg Gain detector FoR the Aramis User station) is a two-dimensional hybrid pixel detector for photon science applications at free-electron lasers and synchrotron light sources. The JUNGFRAU 0.4 prototype presented here is specifically geared towards low-noise performance and hence soft X-ray detection. The design, geometry and readout architecture of JUNGFRAU 0.4 correspond to those of other JUNGFRAU pixel detectors, which are charge-integrating detectors with 75 µm × 75 µm pixels. Main characteristics of JUNGFRAU 0.4 are its fixed gain and r.m.s. noise of as low as 27 e− electronic noise charge (, Journal of Synchrotron Radiation, 23 (2), ISSN:0909-0495, ISSN:1600-5775

The authors report a very rare case of necrobiosis lipoidica, histopathologically confirmed, which happened in the breast a few months following the insertion of a silicone implant (post-mastectomy reconstruction). This case raises two problems: the physiopathology (role of the silicone implant) and the treatment of this accident, resistant to current therapy.

Resume Les auteurs rapportent un cas tres rare de gigantomastie gravidique dont la grossesse a pu etre menee a terme. La recidive de cette pathologie etant ineluctable, la mastectomie est l’intervention conseillee s’il existe un desir de grossesses ulterieures, dans les autres cas une reduction mammaire post-partum peut etre discutee.

Ritual sexual mutilations affect 140million of women around the world with over three millions new cases per year. France is not spared with 55,000 mutilated women living on our territory. There is a simple, reliable and reproductible reconstructive surgical technique described by the French urologist Pierre Foldes. This technique is still unknown by patients and plastic surgeons. Through a clinical case, the authors discuss the principles, results and key points of this procedure.

The authors report a very rare case of lipome extended to the superficial and deep lobes of parotid gland. MRI remains the best complementary examination to direct the diagnosis; however only the surgery will bring a histological proof formal.

Dercum's disease or adiposis dolorasa is unusual and unknown. Four symptoms are typical. It is characterized by painful subcutaneous fatty tumors in postmenopausal woman. We present this disease through the study of an uncommon clinical case: a sceptic choc following the "steato-cutaneous-necrosis" of a fatty tumor. The disease remains rare. The etiology is to this day unknown and different hypothesis (endocrinous, metabolic, genetics) are put forward. Multiple complications can occur but severe septicemia is rare. The treatment can be medical (loss of weight, corticoids, intravenous lidocaine) or surgical (surgical excision or liposuction).

MONCH is a hybrid silicon pixel detector based on charge integration and with analog readout, featuring a pixel size of 25×25 μm2. The latest working prototype consists of an array of 400×400 identical pixels for a total active area of 1×1 cm2. Its design is optimized for the single photon regime. An exhaustive characterization of this large area prototype has been carried out in the past months, and it confirms an ENC in the order of 35 electrons RMS and a dynamic range of ~4×12 keV photons in high gain mode, which increases to ~100×12 keV photons with the lowest gain setting. The low noise levels of MONCH make it a suitable candidate for X-ray detection at energies around 1 keV and below. Imaging applications in particular can benefit significantly from the use of MONCH: due to its extremely small pixel pitch, the detector intrinsically offers excellent position resolution. Moreover, in low flux conditions, charge sharing between neighboring pixels allows the use of position interpolation algorithms which grant a resolution at the micrometer-level. Its energy reconstruction and imaging capabilities have been tested for the first time at a low energy beamline at PSI, with photon energies between 1.75 keV and 3.5 keV, and results will be shown.

We present the results of our Hubble Space Telescope program and describe how our analysis methods were used to re-evaluate the habitability of some of the most interesting Kepler planet candidates. Our program observed 22 Kepler Object of Interest (KOI) host stars, several of which were found to be multiple star systems unresolved by Kepler. We use our high-resolution imaging to spatially resolve the stellar multiplicity of Kepler-296, KOI-2626, and KOI-3049, and develop a conversion to the Kepler photometry (Kp) from the F555W and F775W filters on WFC3/UVIS. The binary system Kepler-296 (5 planets) has a projected separation of 0.217" (80AU); KOI-2626 (1 planet candidate) is a triple star system with a projected separation of 0.201" (70AU) between the primary and secondary components and 0.161" (55AU) between the primary and tertiary; and the binary system KOI-3049 (1 planet candidate) has a projected separation of 0.464" (225AU). We use our measured photometry to fit the separated stellar components to the latest Victoria-Regina Stellar Models with synthetic photometry to conclude that the systems are coeval. The components of the three systems range from mid-K dwarf to mid-M dwarf spectral types. We solved for the planetary properties of each system analytically and via an MCMC algorithm using our independent stellar parameters. The planets range from ~1.6R_Earth to ~4.2R_Earth, mostly Super Earths and mini-Neptunes. As a result of the stellar multiplicity, some planets previously in the Habitable Zone are, in fact, not, and other planets may be habitable depending on their assumed stellar host., 16 pages, 10 figures, ApJ, 804, 97

The authors report a very rare case of gestational gigantomastia and the pregnancy could be carried out in term. The patient has been operated of bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. Surgery is the only radical treatment. Mastectomy with secondary reconstruction is reserved to cases where the intervention must be fast. Mastectomy with immediate reconstruction is the advised intervention if there is a later desire of pregnancy. Mammary reduction is more aesthetic, and allows only one intervention, but exposes to an important risk of recurrence and is not recommended if there is a later desire of pregnancy.

The occurrence of lactation is a rare complication of breast plastic surgery. During the course of his practice, the plastic surgeon will probably encounter this complication. The goal of this article is to carry out a literature review of all published galactorrhea and/or galactocele cases following a breast-reduction or a breast-augmentation, representing a total of 34 cases reported in 21 articles. The physiopathology of this complication is linked to an inappropriate secretion of prolactin in a surgical context. The factors favoring this complication would be the number of pregnancies, a history of recent and extensive nursing, and the intake of certain medicines such as an oestro-progestative pill. The main symptom of this complication is the occurrence of a uni- or bilateral galactorrhea, on average 12.6 days after the surgery. The main differential diagnosis is a postoperative infection. The explorations presented a hyperprolactinemia in 69% of cases. No biological inflammatory syndrome was reported. A fluid collection evoking a galactocele was visible on the ultrasound in 65% of cases. One case of prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma was reported. Depending on the case, the treatment varied from a simple surveillance to the association of a dopamine agonist, an antibiotic therapy, and a surgical revision. A diagnostic and therapeutic management strategy is proposed.

In the sugar industry, ion-exchange resins have a problem with regeneration waste disposal since the regeneration effluent contains a high concentration of sodium chloride and colored organics. In the present work the recovery and recycling of waste brine previously used for decolorizing sugar liquor has been investigated using cost-effective organic spiral-wound nanofiltration membranes. A 74% reduction in salt consumption and an 89% reduction in water consumption were achieved in the batch configuration at VCF 9.

Raw cane sugar solution at 50 brix was purified by combining flocculation with a cationic polymer and crossflow micro/ultrafiltration using tubular mineral membranes of porosities ranging from 0.2 μm to 15 kDa. The pilot tests indicated that the coupling of these two processes led successfully to a permeate decolorization of 50% at a 65 l h−1 m−2 permeate flux with the 300 kDa membrane which was found to be the most promising one. This result is considerably improved compared to the 39% decolorization rate and the 25 l h−1 m−2 flux given by the 15 kDa membrane alone. Ion exchange resin decolorization tests demonstrated the benefit of flocculation and ultrafiltration pretreatments on sugar liquor quality.

We present here our observations and analysis of the dayside emission spectrum of the hot Jupiter WASP-103b. We observed WASP-103b during secondary eclipse using two visits of the Hubble Space Telescope with the G141 grism on Wide Field Camera 3 in spatial scan mode. We generated secondary eclipse light curves of the planet in both blended white-light and spectrally binned wavechannels from 1.1-1.7 micron and corrected the light curves for flux contamination from a nearby companion star. We modeled the detector systematics and secondary eclipse spectrum using Gaussian process regression and found that the near-IR emission spectrum of WASP-103b is featureless across the observed near-IR region to down to a sensitivity of 175 ppm, and shows a shallow slope towards the red. The atmosphere has a single brightness temperature of T_B = 2890 K across this wavelength range. This region of the spectrum is indistinguishable from isothermal, but may not manifest from a physically isothermal system, i.e. pseudo-isothermal. A Solar-metallicity profile with a thermal inversion layer at 10^-2 bar fits WASP-103b's spectrum with high confidence, as do an isothermal profile with Solar metallicity and a monotonically decreasing atmosphere with C/O>1. The data rule out a monotonically decreasing atmospheric profile with Solar composition, and we rule out a low-metallicity decreasing profile as non-physical for this system. The pseudo-isothermal profile could be explained by a thermal inversion layer just above the layer probed by our observations, or by clouds or haze in the upper atmosphere. Transmission spectra at optical wavelengths would allow us to better differentiate between potential atmospheric models., Published in AJ, 19 pages, 11 figures, 6 tables

Diabetus mellitus is a serious desease that affects the health of millions of people. Since conventional insulin therapy is unable to provide good metabolic control of glucose, new systems have been developed to regulate the amount of insulin needed according to the glucose level in the blood. In the present work, a porous membrane system consisting of a porous filter grafted with a pH-sensitive copolymer and immobilized glucose oxidase has been synthesized for use as a glucose-sensitive hydraulic flow controller. The principle of this system is based upon conformational change of the graft chains in response to pH. Glucose is enzymatically converted to gluconic acid which protonates the carboxylate groups of the graft. The reduced electrostatic repulsion causes the shrinkage of the copolymer chains, opening the pores of the membrane. After fabricating a membrane pH-sensitive in the physiological pH range, glucose oxidase was immobilized on the grafted membrane. Finally, by measuring the hydraulic permeability through the composite membrane, it was shown that the prepared membrane responded rapidly to changes in glucose concentration. Incorporating the glucose-sensitive membrane, a device for a functioning bioartificial pancreas can be designed.

JUNGFRAU (adJUstiNg Gain detector FoR the Aramis User station) is a two-dimensional hybrid pixel detector under development for photon science applications at free electron laser and synchrotron facilities. In particular, JUNGFRAU detectors will equip the Aramis end stations of SwissFEL, an X-ray free electron laser currently under construction at the Paul Scherrer Institut in Villigen, Switzerland. JUNGFRAU has been designed specifically to meet the challenges of photon science at XFELs, including high frame rates, single photon sensitivity in combination with a high dynamic range, vacuum compatibility and tilable modules. This has resulted in a charge integrating detector with three dynamically adjusting gains, a low noise of 55 ENC RMS, readout speeds in excess of 2 kHz, single photon sensitivity down to 2 keV (with a signal to noise ratio of 10) and a dynamic range covering four orders of magnitude at 12 keV. Each JUNGFRAU module consists of eight chips of 256 × 256 pixels, each 75 × 75 μm2 in size. The chips are arranged in 2 × 4 formation and bump-bonded to a single silicon sensor 320 μm thick, resulting in an active area of approximately 4 × 8 cm2 per module. Multi-module vacuum compatible systems comprising up to 16 Mpixels (32 modules) will be used at SwissFEL. The design of SwissFEL and the JUNGFRAU system for the Aramis end station A will be introduced, together with results from early prototypes and a characterisation using the first batch of final JUNGFRAU modules. Plans and first results of the pixel-by-pixel calibration will also be shown. The vacuum compatibility of the JUNGFRAU module is demonstrated for the first time.

X-ray phase contrast imaging enables the measurement of the electron density of a sample with high sensitivity compared to the conventional absorption contrast. This is advantageous for the study of dose-sensitive samples, in particular, for biological and medical investigations. Recent developments relaxed the requirement for the beam coherence, such that conventional X-ray sources can be used for phase contrast imaging and thus clinical applications become possible. One of the prominent phase contrast imaging methods, Talbot-Lau grating interferometry, is limited by the manufacturing, alignment, and photon absorption of the analyzer grating, which is placed in the beam path in front of the detector. We propose an alternative improved method based on direct conversion charge integrating detectors, which enables a grating interferometer to be operated without an analyzer grating. Algorithms are introduced, which resolve interference fringes with a periodicity of 4.7 μm recorded with a 25 μm pitch Si micro...

The two-dimensional pixel detector JUNGFRAU is designed for high performance photon science applications at free electron lasers and synchrotron light sources. It is developed for the SwissFEL currently under construction at the Paul Scherrer Institut, Switzerland. The detector is a hybrid pixel detector with a charge integration readout ASIC characterized by single photon sensitivity and a low noise performance over a dynamic range of 104 12 keV photons. Geometrically, a JUNGFRAU readout chip consists of 256×256 pixels of 75×75 μm2. The chips are bump bonded to 320 μm thick silicon sensors. Arrays of 2×4 chips are tiled to form modules of 4×8 cm2 area. Several multi-module systems with up to 16 Mpixels per system will be delivered to the two end stations at SwissFEL. The JUNGFRAU full scale readout ASIC and module design are presented along with characterization results of the first systems. Experiments from fluorescence X-ray, visible light illumination, and synchrotron irradiation are shown. The results include an electronic noise of ~50 electrons r.m.s., which enables single photon detection energies below 2 keV and a noise well below the Poisson statistical limit over the entire dynamic range. First imaging experiments are also shown.

Effectively managing the data generated by community-driven mobile geo-sensor networks is a new and challenging problem. One important step for managing and querying sensor network data is to create abstractions of the data in the form of models. These models can then be stored, retrieved, and queried, as required. There has been significant amount of prior literature on using models for query processing [6, 8, 11, 14, 20]. On the contrary, however, there has been a lack of understanding on developing reliable models, considering the unique characteristics of community-driven geo-sensor networks. In an effort to correct this situation, this paper proposes various approaches for modeling the data from a community-driven mobile geo-sensor network. This data is typically collected over a large geographical area with mobile sensors having uncontrolled or semi-controlled mobility. Therefore, we propose adaptive techniques that take into account such mobility patterns and produce an accurate representation of the sensed spatio-temporal phenomenon. To substantiate our proposals, we perform extensive evaluation of our methods on two real datasets.

Effectively managing the data generated by Large-area Community driven Sensor Networks (LCSNs) is a new and challenging prob- lem. One important step for managing and querying such sensor network data is to create abstractions of the data in the form of models. These models can then be stored, retrieved, and queried, as required. In our OpenSense1 project, we advocate an adap- tive model-cover driven strategy towards effectively managing such data. Our strategy is designed considering the fundamental princi- ples of LCSNs. We describe an adaptive approach, called adaptive k-means, and report preliminary results on how it compares with the traditional grid-based approach towards modeling LCSN data. We find that our approach performs better to model the sensed phenomenon in spatial and temporal dimensions. Our results are based on two real datasets.

Effectively managing the data generated by Large-area Community driven Sensor Networks (LCSNs) is a new and challenging problem. One important step for managing and querying such sensor network data is to create abstractions of the data in the form of models. These models can then be stored, retrieved, and queried, as required. In our OpenSense1 project, we advocate an adaptive model-cover driven strategy towards effectively managing such data. Our strategy is designed considering the fundamental principles of LCSNs. We describe an adaptive approach, called adaptive k-means, and report preliminary results on how it compares with the traditional grid-based approach towards modeling LCSN data. We find that our approach performs better to model the sensed phenomenon in spatial and temporal dimensions. Our results are based on two real datasets.

The authors report a very rare case of gestational gigantomastia and the pregnancy could be carried out in term. The repetition being inescapable, the mastectomy is the advised intervention if there is a later desire of pregnancy, in other cases a post-partum mammoplasty can be discussed.

The authors report a very rare case of necrobiosis lipoidica, histopathologically confirmed, which happened in the breast a few months following the insertion of a silicone implant (post-mastectomy reconstruction). This case raises two problems: the physiopathology (role of the silicone implant) and the treatment of this accident, resistant to current therapy.

The anterolateral thigh flap is usually used as a free flap for various kinds of reconstruction and resurfacing of distant areas. Cover of a deep trochanteric pressure sore is commonly made by muscular or musculocutaneous flaps such as tensor of fascia lata or vastus lateralis. We report the case of a trochanteric pressure sore covered by a fasciocutaneous pedicled anterolateral thigh flap after negative pressure therapy in a 58-year-old paraplegic patient. After 6 months, a good quality of coverage was obtained with minimal morbidity of donor site. The pedicled fasciocutaneous anterolateral flap appears as a reliable option for the treatment of trochanteric pressure sore.

Ritual sexual mutilations affect 140million of women around the world with over three millions new cases per year. France is not spared with 55,000 mutilated women living on our territory. There is a simple, reliable and reproductible reconstructive surgical technique described by the French urologist Pierre Foldès. This technique is still unknown by patients and plastic surgeons. Through a clinical case, the authors discuss the principles, results and key points of this procedure.

To determine the embryonic size at which cardiac activity is always seen in a normal early pregnancy, 398 endovaginal sonograms were evaluated in which the gestational sac contained a yolk sac and/or embryo of less than or equal to 12 mm in crown-rump length (CRL). In the 99 sonograms in which there was a yolk sac but no identifiable embryo, cardiac activity was absent in 75; 58 of these pregnancies progressed normally. Of the 299 sonograms where there was an identifiable embryo with CRL less than or equal to 12 mm, cardiac activity was absent in 31; 29 of these were proven to be failed pregnancies. In two cases the pregnancy progressed normally; the CRL was 2 mm in one case and 4 mm in the other. We conclude that once an embryo is seen by endovaginal sonography, the absence of cardiac activity usually indicates embryonic demise. However, when cardiac activity is absent, one should refrain from definitively diagnosing embryonic demise, based on a single sonogram, if the CRL is less than 5 mm.

Anomalies of systemic and pulmonary venous return are found as either isolated lesions or as part of a complex cardiac malformation. Specifically, these venous pathway malformations are associated frequently with the cardiac defects in asplenia or polysplenia. This report describes the prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of both anomalous pulmonary and systemic venous drainage in three late gestation fetuses with a splenic syndrome and complex congenital heart disease. In addition, the utility of color-flow Doppler as an aid in making the diagnosis is emphasized.

The authors report a very rare case of lipome extended to the superficial and deep lobes of parotid gland. MRI remains the best complementary examination to direct the diagnosis; however only the surgery will bring a histological proof formal.

Arnold (2005), Forgan (2013), and Korpela et al. (2015) noted that planet-sized artificial structures could be discovered with Kepler as they transit their host star. We present a general discussion of transiting megastructures, and enumerate ten potential ways their anomalous silhouettes, orbits, and transmission properties would distinguish them from exoplanets. We also enumerate the natural sources of such signatures. Several anomalous objects, such as KIC 12557548 and CoRoT-29, have variability in depth consistent with Arnold's prediction and/or an asymmetric shape consistent with Forgan's model. Since well motivated physical models have so far provided natural explanations for these signals, the ETI hypothesis is not warranted for these objects, but they still serve as useful examples of how nonstandard transit signatures might be identified and interpreted in a SETI context. Boyajian et al. 2015 recently announced KIC 8462852, an object with a bizarre light curve consistent with a "swarm" of megastructures. We suggest this is an outstanding SETI target. We develop the normalized information content statistic $M$ to quantify the information content in a signal embedded in a discrete series of bounded measurements, such as variable transit depths, and show that it can be used to distinguish among constant sources, interstellar beacons, and naturally stochastic or artificial, information-rich signals. We apply this formalism to KIC 12557548 and a specific form of beacon suggested by Arnold to illustrate its utility., Comment: 25 pages, 10 figures. Accepted to ApJ

We have developed an on-line spectrometer for hard x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) radiation based on a nanostructured diamond diffraction grating and a bent crystal analyzer. Our method provides high spectral resolution, interferes negligibly with the XFEL beam, and can withstand the intense hard x-ray pulses at high repetition rates of >100 Hz. The spectrometer is capable of providing shot-to-shot spectral information for the normalization of data obtained in scientific experiments and optimization of the accelerator operation parameters. We have demonstrated these capabilities of the setup at the Linac Coherent Light Source, in self-amplified spontaneous emission mode at full energy of >1 mJ with a 120 Hz repetition rate, obtaining a resolving power of E/δE>3×104. The device was also used to monitor the effects of pulse duration down to 8 fs by analysis of the spectral spike width.

Hybrid pixel detectors are being developed for both photon science and high energy physics. The article will cover similarities and differences in pixel detectors for both applications using two of the pixel detectors developed at the Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland) as examples: the EIGER photon counting detector and the psi46dig chip, which has been developed for the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) tracking pixel detector upgrade. EIGER is a single photon counting hybrid pixel detector for applications at synchrotron light sources in the energy range from a few to 25 keV. It is characterized by a small pixel size (75 × 75 μm2), high count rate capability (106 counts/pixel/s) and very high data rate, which reaches 6 Gb/s for a 256 × 256 pixel chip. The CMS pixel detector is designed to provide charge information from the pixels in the harsh radiation environment at the Large Hadron Collider. The short time between bunches of 25 ns and the high event rate at luminosity up to 2 × 1034cm−2s−1 require a detector with high hit efficiency, with good timing resolution and the ability to retain timestamp information for the hits. The readout architecture is based on the transfer of hits from the pixels to the periphery, where the trigger validation is performed before data transfer. The data rates of the digitized output reach 160 Mb/s for a 52×80 pixel chip.The specific timing and rate requirements for the detectors, the analog performances (minimum threshold and noise), the power consumption and the radiation hardness will be compared. An overview on future developments based on mutual learning and common solutions will be discussed.

MONCH is a 25 μm pitch hybrid silicon pixel detector with a charge integrating analog read-out front-end in each pixel. The small pixel size brings new challenges in bump-bonding, power consumption and chip design. The MONCH02 prototype ASIC, manufactured in UMC 110 nm technology with a field of view of 4×4 mm2 and 160×160 pixels, has been characterized in the single photon regime, i.e. with less than one photon acquired per frame on average on a 3×3 pixel cluster. The low noise and small pixel size allow spatial interpolation with high resolution. Understanding charge sharing as a function of the photon absorption depth and sensor bias is a key for optimal processing of single photon data for high resolution imaging. To characterize the charge collection of the detector, the sensor was illuminated with a 20 keV photon beam in edge-on configuration at the SYRMEP beamline of Elettra. By slicing the beam by means of a 5 μm slit and scanning through the 320 μm silicon sensor depth, the charge collection is characterized as a function of the photon absorption depth for different sensor bias voltages.

EIGER is a single photon counting hybrid pixel detector being developed at Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Switzerland, for applications at synchrotron light sources in an energy range from a few to 25 keV. EIGER is characterized by a small pixel size (75 × 75 μm2), a frame rate up to 22 kHz and a small dead time between frames (4 μs). An EIGER module is a hybrid detector composed of a ≈ 8 × 4 cm2 monolithic silicon sensor bump bonded to 4 × 2 readout chips, for a total of 500 kpixels. Each pixel has a configurable depth (up to 12 bits) counter and records the number of photons impinging. Custom designed module electronics reads out the bits in the pixel counter and processes the data in the module before transferring them to a PC. A large dynamic range (32 bits) for the pixel counter can be obtained through on-board image summation. Rate corrections can be applied on-board to compensate for inefficiencies when the pixel counting rates approach pile-up levels around a million counts per second. The EIGER modules are the building blocks of large area detectors: a 1.5 and a 9 Mpixel systems are under development for the cSAXS beamline at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) at PSI. The very high frame rate capabilities are equally fast for multi-module systems due to the fully parallel data processing.The module calibration will be discussed, with emphasis on the choice of the optimal operation settings as a function of photon energy. The performance regarding threshold dispersion and minimum achievable threshold will be presented. In addition, the progress towards the production of larger multi-module systems will be discussed.

The SLS detector group develops silicon hybrid detectors for X-ray applications used in synchrotron facilities all over the world. Both microstrip and pixel detectors with either single photon counting or charge integrating read out are being developed. Low noise charge integrating detectors can be operated in single photon regime, i.e. with low fluxes and high frame rates in order to detect on average less than one photon per cluster of 2×2 pixels. In this case, the analog signal read out for each single X-ray provides information about the energy of the photon. Moreover the signal from neighboring channels can be correlated in order to overcome or even take advantage of charge sharing. The linear charge collection model describing microstrip detectors and large pixels is unsuitable for the calibration of small pitch pixel detectors due to the large amount of charge sharing occurring also in the corner region. For this reason, the linear charge collection model is extended to the case of small pixels and tested with monochromatic X-ray data acquired using the 25 μm pitch MONCH and the 75 μm pitch JUNGFRAU detectors. The successful outcome of the calibration of the MONCH detector is proven by the high energy resolution of the spectrum obtained by accumulating the counts from more than 6000 channels after the correction of the gain mismatches using the proposed model.

Dercum's disease or adiposis dolorasa is unusual and unknown. Four symptoms are typical. It is characterized by painful subcutaneous fatty tumors in postmenopausal woman. We present this disease through the study of an uncommon clinical case: a sceptic choc following the "steato-cutaneous-necrosis" of a fatty tumor. The disease remains rare. The etiology is to this day unknown and different hypothesis (endocrinous, metabolic, genetics) are put forward. Multiple complications can occur but severe septicemia is rare. The treatment can be medical (loss of weight, corticoids, intravenous lidocaine) or surgical (surgical excision or liposuction).

This paper describes a research proposal related to the design of parallel software for image processing. The proposal focuses on the design of a tool, which generates the best implementation of a given application taking into account different parallel programming models available on different parallel (heterogeneous) computers. All steps needed for the automatic mapping of applications are presented. >

[1] The performance of three aircraft inlets used for sampling gas-phase formaldehyde (CH2O) was evaluated. These 1.5 m long inlets were operated with the National Center for Atmospheric Research Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectrometer (TDLAS) at flow rates between 7 and 9 standard liters per minute. Laboratory tests were performed on the 1997 North Atlantic Regional Experiment (NARE 97) TDLAS inlet, involving a wide range of sample temperatures (−40° to 25°C), pressures (250–625 torr), relative humidities (

High resolution imaging is an important tool for follow-up study of exoplanet candidates found via transit detection with the Kepler Mission. We discuss here HST imaging with the WFC3 of 23 stars that host particularly interesting Kepler planet candidates based on their small size and cool equilibrium temperature estimates. Results include detections, exclusion of background stars that could be a source of false positives for the transits, and detection of physically-associated companions in a number of cases providing dilution measures necessary for planet parameter refinement. For six KOIs, we find that there is ambiguity in which star hosts the transiting planet(s), with potentially strong implications for planetary characteristics. Our sample is evenly distributed in G, K, and M spectral types. Albeit with a small sample size, we find that physically-associated binaries are more common than expected at each spectral type, reaching a factor of 10 frequency excess at M. We document the program detection sensitivities, detections, and deliverables to the Kepler follow-up program archive., Accepted for the Astronomical Journal; 13 pages with 9 figures

JUNGFRAU (adJUstiNg Gain detector FoR the Aramis User station) is a two-dimensional pixel detector for photon science applications at free electron lasers and synchrotron light sources. It is developed for the SwissFEL currently under construction at the Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland. Characteristics of this application-specific integrating circuit readout chip include single photon sensitivity and low noise over a dynamic range of over four orders of magnitude of photon input signal. These characteristics are achieved by a three-fold gain-switching preamplifier in each pixel, which automatically adjusts its gain to the amount of charge deposited on the pixel. The final JUNGFRAU chip comprises 256 × 256 pixels of 75 × 75 μm2 each. Arrays of 2 × 4 chips are bump-bonded to monolithic detector modules of about 4 × 8 cm2. Multi-module systems up to 16 Mpixels are planned for the end stations at SwissFEL. A readout rate in excess of 2 kHz is anticipated, which serves the readout requirements of SwissFEL and enables high count rate synchrotron experiments with a linear count rate capability of > 20 MHz/pixel. Promising characterization results from a 3.6 × 3.6 mm2 prototype (JUNGFRAU 0.2) with fluorescence X-ray, infrared laser and synchrotron irradiation are shown. The results include an electronic noise as low as 100 electrons root-mean-square, which enables single photon detection down to X-ray energies of about 2 keV. Noise below the Poisson fluctuation of the photon number and a linearity error of the pixel response of about 1% are demonstrated. First imaging experiments successfully show automatic gain switching. The edge spread function of the imaging system proves to be comparable in quality to single photon counting hybrid pixel detectors.

The detector group of the Swiss Light Source (SLS) at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) has a long history of x-ray detector developments for synchrotrons. Initially these detectors were all single photon counting systems. In the last years the focus at PSI was moving towards charge integrating systems mainly driven by the detector needs for the upcoming XFELs. Charge integrating systems however also solve some of the problems of single photon counting systems. Charge integrating systems have an almost infinite linear count rate capability, allow systems with smallest pixel sizes and for low photon energies. In this presentation we give an overview of the detector developments at PSI and focus on Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger. Eiger is a single photon counting system specifically developed for high frame rates. It has a 75 micron pixel size and can run at frame rates up to 24 kHz. A 9M Eiger detector will be installed in a few months at the cSAXS beamline of the SLS. Jungfrau uses the same sensor as Eiger (about 4cm x 8 cm with a pixel size of 75 microns). It has a charge integrating architecture with dynamic gain switching to achieve a dynamic range of 10^4 photons (at 12 keV). With a frame rate of up to 2 kHz Jungfrau is currently being developed for applications at both XFELs and synchrotrons. 16M Jungfrau detectors are foreseen at the SwissFEL. Mönch is currently a research project. A first prototype with 160x160 pixels and a pixel size of 25 microns was designed and is currently characterised. It offers the smallest pixel size of current hybrid pixel detectors and also has a very low noise allowing hybrid pixel detectors to be used down to about 400eV. We present measurement results for Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger and give an outlook on future possible systems.

MONCH, a charge integrating readout ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) prototype with a pixel pitch of 25 μm developed at PSI, allows new imaging applications in the field of micron resolution and spectral imaging. The small pixel size of this system facilitates charge sharing between pixels, which then can be exploited to gain additional information about the photon absorption position and photon energy. However, for reconstructing complete images from this information, sufficient hits need to be recorded and therefore acquisition times are potentially long. We present a fast read-out system, that is capable of acquiring enough statistics for an image in a few hours in combination with a position reconstruction algorithm, which has the potential to run in a similar amount of time on a fast computing node. We further present results of experiments with a comparable strip detector (small-pitch GOTTHARD system) showing that with the aid of single photon interpolation algorithms micron resolution is achievable. Additionally, we show that a similar position reconstruction algorithm works in the two dimensional case for MONCH.

Eiger is a single-photon counting x-ray pixel detector being developed at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) for applications at synchrotron light sources. It follows the widely utilized and successful Pilatus detector. The main features of Eiger are a pixel size of 75 × 75 μm2, high frame rate capability of 22 kHz and negligible dead time between frames of 4 μs. This article contains a detailed description of Eiger detector systems, from the 500 kpixel single-module detector to large-area multi-modules systems. The calibration and performance of the first 500 kpixel system that is in routine user operation are also presented. Furthermore, a method of calibrating the energy of single-photon counting detectors along the detector gain axis is introduced. This approach has the advantage that the detector settings can be optimized at all energies for count rate capabilities. Rate capabilities of the system are reported for energies between 6 and 16 keV.