Calibration of MAJIS (Moons And Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer). III. Spectral calibration.

The Moons And Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer (MAJIS) is the visible and near-infrared imaging spectrometer onboard the European Space Agency (ESA)'s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer mission. Before its integration into the spacecraft, the instrument undergoes an extensive ground calibration to establish its baseline performances. This process prepares the imaging spectrometer for flight operations by characterizing the behavior of the instrument under various operative conditions and uncovering instrumental distortions that may depend on instrumental commands. Two steps of the on-ground calibration campaigns were held at the instrument level to produce the data. Additional in-flight measurements have recently been obtained after launch during the Near-Earth Commissioning Phase. In this article, we present the analyses of these datasets, focusing on the characterization of the spectral performances. First, we describe and analyze the spectral calibration datasets obtained using both monochromatic sources and polychromatic sources coupled with solid and gas samples. Then, we derive the spectral sampling and the spectral response function over the entire field of view. These spectral characteristics are quantified for various operational parameters of MAJIS, such as temperature and spectral binning. The derived on-ground performances are then compared with in-flight measurements obtained after launch and presented in the framework of the MAJIS performance requirements.

Executive functions in alcohol-dependence: A theoretically grounded and integrative exploration.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol-dependence is related to large-scale cognitive impairments, particularly for executive functions (EF). These deficits persist even after long-term abstinence and have a major impact on patients' everyday life and relapse risk. Earlier studies, based on multi-determined tasks, mostly focused on inhibition and did not offer a theoretically-grounded and exhaustive view of the differential deficit across EF. The present paper proposes a model-based exploration of EF in alcohol-dependent individuals (ALC), to precisely compare the specific deficit related to each executive subcomponent. METHODS: Forty-seven recently detoxified ALC were compared to 47 matched healthy participants on a nine-tasks validated neuropsychological battery, simultaneously exploring and comparing the three main executive subcomponents (shifting, updating, and inhibition). Psychopathological comorbidities were also controlled for. RESULTS: Reaction time indexes revealed a global slowing down among ALC, whatever the EF explored. Accuracy indexes revealed a moderate deficit for inhibition tasks but a massive impairment for shifting and updating ones. Complementary analyses indicated that the executive deficits observed were centrally related to alcohol-dependence, while comorbid depressive symptoms appeared to intensify the deficits observed. CONCLUSIONS: By offering a direct comparison between the three major EF, these results showed that alcohol-related executive deficits extend beyond the classically described inhibition impairment. This impairment encompasses each EF subcomponent, as ALC actually presented stronger deficits for updating and shifting abilities. This first observation of a multifaceted EF deficit stresses the need for an individualized evaluation and rehabilitation of EF during and/or after the detoxification process.

Which Oxide for Low-Emissivity Glasses? First-Principles Modeling of Silver Adhesion.

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to assess the work of adhesion of silver layers deposited on metal oxide surfaces differing by their chemical nature (ZnO, TiO2, SnO2, and ZrO2) and their crystallographic face. The calculated work of adhesion values range from ∼0 to 3 J m-2 and are shown to originate from the interplay between ionic (associated with charge transfer at the interface) and covalent (as probed by atomic bond orders between silver and the metal oxide atoms) interactions. The results are discussed in the context of the design of silver/metal oxide interfaces for low-emissivity glasses.

Chemosensory Dysfunction in Alcohol-Related Disorders: A Joint Exploration of Olfaction and Taste.

Chemosensory (olfaction-taste) dysfunctions are considered as reliable biomarkers in many neurological and psychiatric states. However, experimental measures of chemosensory abilities are lacking in alcohol-dependence (AD) and Korsakoff Syndrome (KS, a neurological complication of AD), despite the role played by alcohol-related odors and taste in the emergence and maintenance of AD. This study thus investigated chemosensory impairments in AD and KS. Olfactory-gustatory measures were taken among 20 KS, 20 AD, and 20 control participants. Olfaction (odor detection-discrimination-identification) was assessed using the "Sniffin Sticks" battery and taste was measured using the "Taste Strips" task. Impairments were found for high-level olfaction in AD (odor discrimination) and KS (odor discrimination-identification), even after controlling for psychopathological comorbidities. Gustatory deficits were also observed in both groups, indexing a global deficit for chemosensory perception. Finally, the gradient of impairment between the successive disease stages for odor identification suggests that the hypothesis of a continuum between AD and KS regarding cognitive deficits can be generalized to chemosensory perception. AD and KS are thus characterized by deficits in chemosensory abilities, which could constitute a marker of the AD-KS transition. In view of its deleterious influence on everyday life, chemosensory dysfunction should also be taken into account in clinical settings.