A time-dependent multi-scale damage model for rocks based on sub-critical growth of micro-cracks

in 1st International Symposium on Computational Geomechanics (ComGeo I) (2009)

The stability of underground cavities, such as the facilities for deep repositories of nuclear wastes, must be evaluated by considering the induced damaged zone due to the excavation phase, related to ... [more ▼]

The stability of underground cavities, such as the facilities for deep repositories of nuclear wastes, must be evaluated by considering the induced damaged zone due to the excavation phase, related to nucleation and growth of micro-cracks in the rock matrix. The evolution of the rock damage is time-dependent mainly because of sub-critical propagation of cracks. This paper presents the modeling of the macroscopic mechanical behavior of quasi-brittle rocks, using a micro-mechanical approach. The model is built in two steps. First, the elastic coefficients are calculated at the micro-scale in finite periodical cells, with respect to the micro-cracks length and their orientation. Then, these effective elastic properties are used in a sub-critical damage law in order to establish the evolution of the damaged zone. This damage law is obtained as a differential equation depending on time. The macroscopic behavior is determined, at each step, by an asymptotic homogenization procedure. The developed model enables to reproduce not only the classical short term stress-strain response of quasi-brittle rocks on complex loading paths (in tension and compression) but also the long-term behavior encountering relaxation and creep effects. In this model, the size of the microscopic cell, corresponding to the distance between two adjacent micro-cracks, is a material parameter that affects the macroscopic response of the material. [less ▲]

Improving the seismic robustness of reinforced concrete frames by using locally hybrid steel-concrete columns

in Proceedings of the STESSA 2009 Conference (2009)

The proposed concept consists in placing a steel profile with limited size inside the reinforced concrete column of the first level of the building. This profile is not considered for the design and is ... [more ▼]

The proposed concept consists in placing a steel profile with limited size inside the reinforced concrete column of the first level of the building. This profile is not considered for the design and is essen-tially assumed to act as a safety belt activated only in case of deficiencies of the concrete under earthquake action, providing thus the requested robustness and limiting the risk of soft-storey mechanisms even in the most unfavorable conditions. Theoretical, experimental and numerical investigations summarized in the pre-sent contribution are aiming at demonstrating the efficiency of the concept. [less ▲]

Pregnancy-associated glycoproteins as diagnostic tool in cattle reproduction

in Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde (2009), 151(12), 577-582

Pregnancy-associated glycoproteins are powerful pregnancy markers in domestic cattle. These proteins are expressed in mono- and binucleate trophoblast cells from the first days of gestation until calving ... [more ▼]

Pregnancy-associated glycoproteins are powerful pregnancy markers in domestic cattle. These proteins are expressed in mono- and binucleate trophoblast cells from the first days of gestation until calving. Different molecules were identified as being expressed at various stages of pregnancy. However, up to date, their functions and activities during pregnancy were not yet established. Specific RIA tests were developed (classic and alternative RIA) and used to measure the concentration of these glycoproteins in blood during gestation and the postpartum period in cattle. In maternal blood, PAGs rise to detectable levels from the 24th-28th days after fertilization. A recent study indicated that PAGs can also be detected in milk samples. However, concentrations in milk are much lower when compared to those of plasma. [less ▲]

Local-Level Monitoring in Decentralized Forest Management: Exploring the Spaces for Community Participation

in Beaupre, Pauline; Taylor, Janet; Carson, Toby (Eds.) Emerging Trends, Challenges and Innovations Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) in Cambodia (2009)

This paper explores a participatory monitoring process initiated in Kampong Thom province with 3 Community Forestry (CF) sites where CF development was facilitated by Forestry Administration (FA) staff ... [more ▼]

This paper explores a participatory monitoring process initiated in Kampong Thom province with 3 Community Forestry (CF) sites where CF development was facilitated by Forestry Administration (FA) staff and externally supported by German Technical Support-Rural Development Programme (GTZ-RDP).The paper details the methodology used and the key outputs produced during the process, it highlights the four main principles of the principle, criteria, and indicator Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) which are: (1) that forest health is maintained, (2) public well-being is improved, (3) community well-being is assured, and (4) external support is effective. The results show that in all three CF, the land integrity and the forest resource itself was improved between the baseline and follow-up surveys. Despite the positive results, many of the challenges and limitations were acknowledged including the difficulty in capturing all different points of view and opinions when there are such a large number of people involved and consulted as well as how this can lead to a slowdown within the whole process and is very expensive. The paper concludes suggesting that a local level monitoring system can help to build local capacity, improve decision-making, reduce conflict between local forest dependents and responsible authorities as well as empower local community members, especially marginalized groups. [less ▲]

Variétés linguistiques en concorde et en conflit : wallon et français en Wallonie

in Travaux de linguistique : revue internationale de linguistique Française (2009), 59

Nutritional Properties Of Potato Protein Concentrate Compared With Soybean Meal As The Main Protein Source In Feed For The Double-Muscled Belgian Blue Bull

in Animal (2009), 3(2), 200-208

"Metaboliquement obeses" sans exces de poids: un phenotype interpellant.

in Revue Médicale de Liège (2009), 64(1), 14-22

Obesity, especially abdominal obesity, is the main risk factor of metabolic syndrome. However, there are obviously non obese individuals who are metabolically abnormal and therefore exposed to an ... [more ▼]

Obesity, especially abdominal obesity, is the main risk factor of metabolic syndrome. However, there are obviously non obese individuals who are metabolically abnormal and therefore exposed to an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. Unfortunately, those persons fail to be detected because of a falsely reassuring body weight. The present paper aims at better understanding the etiopathogenesis and pathophysiology of this particular phenotype, at evaluating its potential clinical consequences and at describing the main principles of its therapeutic management. [less ▲]

La médecine générale doit contribuer à l'amélioration continue de la qualité des soins et y intégrer la promotion de la santé

in Presse Médicale (La) (2009)

Quality of care in general practice is mainly based on effectiveness of clinical and inter-personal care, and access to care. Assessment has to focus on structures and processes, more than on outcomes ... [more ▼]

Quality of care in general practice is mainly based on effectiveness of clinical and inter-personal care, and access to care. Assessment has to focus on structures and processes, more than on outcomes. The sets of clinical indicators used in some european countries, though good starting points are still incomplete to encompass the complexity of activity. Assessment of care quality by the public authorities must be acceptable to the doctors who are the object of this assessment; otherwise its conclusions will be rejected. Continuous quality improvement can maintain quality of care at a high level and maintain costs under control. Health has to be managed, and doctors have a collective responsibility towards their patients. The procedures of the quality cycle are applicable in general practice for the development of community-based projects of health promotion, within the network of care. The discipline can find in it a new lease of life and perhaps curb the loss of interest among young doctors. [less ▲]

Cloning of the steroid receptor coactivator SRC-2 and distribution in the brain of Japanese quail

Poster (2009)

Extracting a common high frequency signal from Northern Quebec black spruce tree-rings with a Bayesian hierarchical model

in Climate of the Past (2009), 5

One basic premise of dendroclimatology is that tree rings can be viewed as climate proxies, i.e. rings are assumed to contain some hidden information about past climate. From a statistical perspective ... [more ▼]

One basic premise of dendroclimatology is that tree rings can be viewed as climate proxies, i.e. rings are assumed to contain some hidden information about past climate. From a statistical perspective, this extraction problem can be understood as the search of a hidden variable which represents the common signal within a collection of tree-ring width series. Classical average-based techniques used in dendrochronology have been applied to estimate the mean behavior of this latent variable. Still, depending on tree species, regional factors and statistical methods, a precise quantification of uncertainties associated to the hidden variable distribution is difficult to assess. To model the error propagation throughout the extraction procedure, we propose and study a Bayesian hierarchical model that focuses on extracting an inter-annual high frequency signal. Our method is applied to black spruce (Picea mariana) tree-rings recorded in Northern Quebec and compared to a classical average-based techniques used by dendrochronologists. [less ▲]