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Abstract:We present a new family of Zone Plates (ZPs) designed using the Thue-Morse sequence. The focusing and imaging properties of these aperiodic diffractive lenses coined Thue-Morse Zone Plates (TMZPs) are examined. It is demonstrated that TMZPs produce a pair of self-similar and equally intense foci along the optical axis. As a consequence of this property, under broadband illumination, a TMZP produces two foci with an extended depth of focus and a strong reduction of the chromatic aberration compared with conventional periodic ZPs. This distinctive optical characteristic is experimentally confirmed.

In this paper, smartphone acceleration sensors were used to perform a quantitative analysis of mechanical coupled oscillations. Symmetric and asymmetric normal modes were studied separately in the first two experiments. In the third, a coupled oscillation was studied as a combination of the normal modes. Results indicate that acceleration sensors of smartphones, which are very familiar to students, represent valuable measurement instruments for introductory and first-year physics courses.

Long-duration or damaging exercise initiates reactions that resemble the acute phase response to infection and induces neutrophil priming for oxidative activity. Our objective was to establish the status of the antioxidant defences and of the oxidative equilibrium in the neutrophils of sportsmen prior to and after intense physical exercise. Nine voluntary male professional cyclists participated in this study. The exercise was a cycling mountain stage (171 km) and the cyclists took a mean +/- SEM of 270 +/- 12 min to complete it. We determined the activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), the levels and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), the concentrations of ascorbate, glutathione and glutathione disulphide (GSSG) and DNA levels in neutrophils. The cycling stage decreased enzyme activities expressed per DNA units: CAT (33%), SOD (38%), GPx (65%); increased ascorbate concentration in neutrophils and decreased the GSH/GSSG ratio and the enzyme activities expressed per DNA units. Neutrophils could contribute to plasma antioxidant defences against oxidative stress induced by exercise because they probably provide antioxidant enzymes and ascorbate.