L'entrepreneuriat féminin au Maroc: Quelles sont les variables contextuelles qui influencent l'entrepreneuriat?

Poster (2011, September 30)

L’objectif principal de cet article est d’explorer les fondements de l’entrepreneuriat féminin au Maroc et de présenter les modèles existants. Ce qui nous amène à poser les questions suivantes : « Quels ... [more ▼]

L’objectif principal de cet article est d’explorer les fondements de l’entrepreneuriat féminin au Maroc et de présenter les modèles existants. Ce qui nous amène à poser les questions suivantes : « Quels sont les variables contextuelles et socio-économiques qui influencent l’entreprenariat au Maroc ? » et « qui sont ses femmes qui ont choisi d’entreprendre au féminin, en bravant courageusement les différents obstacles socio-culturelles qui caractérisent la société marocaine? ». Présenté ainsi, notre recherche entend dresser un état de l’art des différentes variables pouvant expliquer les composantes de l’entrepreneuriat féminin au Maroc et de conceptualiser ses mécanismes opérationnels afin de proposer des pistes de réflexions adaptées au contexte marocain et applicables par les femmes entrepreneures. [less ▲]

nanostructured carbon materials by surfactant-templating of resorcinol-formaldehyde gels: towards a control of porosity for energy storage applications

Poster (2011, September 26)

Microstructure characterisation of nanocomposite polymeric foams by X-ray microtomography

Poster (2011, September 21)

Recent advances in microstructured materials have given rise to many new types of composites that exhibit original and interesting physical properties. For example, a nanocomposite made of carbon ... [more ▼]

Recent advances in microstructured materials have given rise to many new types of composites that exhibit original and interesting physical properties. For example, a nanocomposite made of carbon nanotubes inside a polymer matrix shows exceptional electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness when foamed. However, the effective properties of such materials strongly depend on the shape and topology of the microstructural cells. An accurate method for investigating the cellular microstructure is X-ray microtomography (XRµT), for it is non-destructive, and it provides 3D geometric information. Although it cannot be used to observe nanofiller dispersion, it has a strong potential for cell structure characterization. In order to reduce the need for trial and error for tailoring these materials, our objective is to characterize, using XRµT, two different types of foaming procedures, namely supercritical CO2 batch foaming and freeze drying. As the resolution is limited compared to cell size, we have developed a novel statistical method based on 3D autocorrelation to determine characteristic length and examine anisotropy. We present results for these two types of foams and show the limitations of this method. [less ▲]

A robustness study to investigate the performance of parametric and non-parametric tests used in Model-Based Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction Epistasis Detection.

Poster (2011, September 19)

Model-Based Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction (MB-MDR) is data mining technique to identify gene-gene interactions among 1000nds of SNPs in a fast way, without making assumptions about the mode of ... [more ▼]

Model-Based Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction (MB-MDR) is data mining technique to identify gene-gene interactions among 1000nds of SNPs in a fast way, without making assumptions about the mode of genetic interactions. By construction, one of the implementations of MB-MDR involves testing one multi-locus genotype cell versus the remaining cells, hereby creating two imbalanced groups for trait distribution comparison. To date, for continuous traits, we have adopted a standard F-test to compare these groups. When normality assumption or homoscedasticity no longer hold, highly inflated results are to be expected. The power and type I error control of MB-MDR under these assumptions has been thoroughly investigated in Mahachie John et al [1]. The aim of this study is to assess, through simulations, the effects of ANOVA model violations on the performance of Model-Based Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction (MB-MDR). We quantify their effect on MB-MDR using default options, but at the same time introduce alternative options with increased performance. The better handling of imbalanced data using robust approaches [2] within a MB-MDR context is exemplified on real data for asthma-related phenotypes. 1. EJHG (2011), Early view 2. David Freedman, Statistical Models: Theory and Practice, Cambridge University Press (2000), ISBN 978-0521671057 [less ▲]

Parameter estimation using slug tests : application to a heat injection and storage experiment

Poster (2011, September 19)

Influence of the processing parameters on the physicochemical properties of puff pastry margarines

Poster (2011, September 18)

Margarinespresentdifferentphysicalpropertieswithrespecttotheirpurposedapplication.Forexample,aspecialtypeoffatisrequiredforpreparationofpuffpastry.Puffpastrymargarines(PPMs)havetobeveryfirmandplastic ... [more ▼]

Margarinespresentdifferentphysicalpropertieswithrespecttotheirpurposedapplication.Forexample,aspecialtypeoffatisrequiredforpreparationofpuffpastry.Puffpastrymargarines(PPMs)havetobeveryfirmandplastic.Therequiredphysicalpropertiesarethusobtainedbyprocessingsuitablyselectedblendsoffatsandoils.Thisstudyfocusesontheinfluenceofprocessingparametersonphysicochemicalpropertiesofpuffpastrymargarine.Forthispurpose,twoselectedfatblendswereconsidered(bothpalm-based):onewaslow-trans(0.5%)andtheotherwastrans-free. [less ▲]

Establishment of Parathyroid hormone reference range on 10 different assay kits: impact of the recruitment of the population

Poster (2011, September 18)

Automated Measurement of Total 25OH Vitamin D in the IDS iSYS System

Poster (2011, September 17)

Rapidly solidified microstructure of 3D parts fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) - Examples of stainless steel 316L and titanium Ti-6Al-4V

Poster (2011, September 12)

Laser additive manufacturing process capable of producing fully dense metallic parts direct from 3D CAD know a fast development. Major concerns are made to achieve the best accuracy of the final geometry ... [more ▼]

Laser additive manufacturing process capable of producing fully dense metallic parts direct from 3D CAD know a fast development. Major concerns are made to achieve the best accuracy of the final geometry and the reduction of the residual stresses but metallurgical aspects are also essential. The process can be described as a succession of very small welds. A key in the optimization of the mechanical properties is the understanding of the specific solidification mechanisms. Microstructures of two alloys were studied by metallographic examination and EBSD analysis. [less ▲]

DOES INCREASING LEVEL OF CONDENSED DISTILLERS SOLUBLES (PROTIWANZE®) SUPPLEMENTATION AFFECT MILK PRODUCTION IN DAIRY CATTLE ?

Poster (2011, September 08)

INTRODUCTION The objective of this study was to evaluate whether introducing the condensed distillers solubles Protiwanze® (PW) at different concentrations in dairy cows diet induces changes in milk ... [more ▼]

INTRODUCTION The objective of this study was to evaluate whether introducing the condensed distillers solubles Protiwanze® (PW) at different concentrations in dairy cows diet induces changes in milk production. MATERIAL AND METHODS Three herds (72 Holstein and 25 Brown Swiss, DIM = 101 ± 57; daily milk production = 34.90 ± 8.40 L) received successively two RTM differing in PW content for 4 weeks, including a 7-day transition: 0% and 10% on a dry matter basis for Herd 1 and 10% and 15% for Herd 2 and 3. Both concentrations were distributed alternatively and repeated twice, each cow being its own control. Rations were formulated to meet energy and nitrogen requirements. During each testing period, animals were scored (Body Condition, Rumen Fill, Fecal Consistency, Undigested Fraction according to Zaaier (2001)) and their milk production and composition were measured by the Dairy Herd Improvement. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Increasing the level of PW did not significantly change milk production in any Herd: Values were for Herd 1 at PW0%: 33.08 ± 0.76 L, at 10%: 31.66 ± 0.68 L, for Herd 2 at PW10%: 32.85 ± 0.93 L and at 15%: 32.37 ± 0.89, for Herd 3 at PW10%: 28.71 ± 1.21 L and at 15%: 31.80 ± 1.16. In Herd 1, milk urea decreased from 243.80 ± 4.55 mg/L for PW0% to 218.05 ± 4.03 mg/L for PW10%, (p<0.01), while fat percentage increased from 3.38% ± 0.09 (PW0%) to 3.77% ± 0.08 (PW10%) (p<0.01). Concerning scores, unconclusive changes were observed. Although increasing level of PW in dairy cows diet did not change milk production or composition, it is profitable since PW is 30-40% cheaper than other protein supplements like soya and canola meals. Moreover, it allowed to lower milk cost price by 1,5 eurocent per liter, when used at higher concentration. [less ▲]

Effect of steam explosion pre-treatment on enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulosic material

Poster (2011, September 08)

Taking into account the sharp rise in prices and the depletion of resources of petroleum, an alternative to fossil resources is needed. A probable alternative is the use of lignocellulosic raw material to ... [more ▼]

Taking into account the sharp rise in prices and the depletion of resources of petroleum, an alternative to fossil resources is needed. A probable alternative is the use of lignocellulosic raw material to produce biofuels. The “first generation” biofuels are highly controversial because of the use of food plant material. The aim of the “second generation” biofuels is to take lignocellulosic non-food plant material as raw material. Lignocellulosic biomass has a very complex structure made of linkages between lignins, cellulose and hemicelluloses. The saccharification of these lignocellulosic materials requires the fractionation of its constituents. Research has lead to many lignocellulosic biomass fractionation pre-treatments. This study particularly focuses on the steam explosion pretreatment followed by an enzymatic saccharification. Steam explosion is a thermomechanical process which allows the breakdown of the lignocellulosic material structure by the combined action of steam heating, hydrolysis induced by the organic acids formed during the process and shear stress resulting from the pressure rough drop. This treatment leads to modification of the physical parameters such as water retention capacity, cristallinity rate of the cellulosic fraction, hydrolysis of the hemicellulosic fraction and rearrangement in the lignin structure. Such modifications are supposed to make cellulose enzymatic hydrolysis from complex lignocellulosic material easier. In order to verify this hypothesis, different lignocellulosic raw materials have been pre-treated by steam explosion. These materials were sugar beet pulp, corn straw and miscanthus. In order to check the effect of steam explosion pre-treatment on cellulose, a microcrystalline cellulose was also treated. Steam explosion was performed at a vapor pressure of 18 bars and with a retention time of 2 minutes. The steam exploded lignocellulosic materials and the untreated one were submitted to a hydrolysis with a mixture of enzymes composed of cellulases and cellobiase activities during 24 hours. The quantification of glucose in the hydrolysates at different times was performed by HPAEC-PAD. Rate of cellulose converted into glucose were better with steam exploded raw material showing that steam explosion allows improvement of lignocellulosic material for enzymatic saccharification. [less ▲]

Mastitis risk indicators assessed through a germ specific epidemiological model in southern Belgium

Poster (2011, September 07)

Bovine mastitis is the most prevalent pathology in dairy production; in order to identify herd related risk indicators, our study focused on germ-specific approach to refine known risk indicators between ... [more ▼]

Bovine mastitis is the most prevalent pathology in dairy production; in order to identify herd related risk indicators, our study focused on germ-specific approach to refine known risk indicators between environmental or contagious epidemiologic models. We gathered clinical mastitis during 3 months in 21 walloon dairy farms representing 1630 Holstein cows (mean: 67; SD: 18). Farmers were interrogated by a questionnaire about their main practices and basic mastitis knowledge questions. Quarters and severity were recorded, sampled for bacteriology at day 0 and day 21 during 3 months. Individual cell counts were also recorded. Risk analysis included Odds ratio calculation (OR) and multivariate regression. The average prevalence of mastitis on the study was 3.25% (min 0.3%, max : 11.2%, SD : 2.8%) which is coherent with previous epidemiological studies in Wallonia. 124 quarters were sampled and non-negative bacteriology shown 45% of strictly environmental pathogens, 22% of strictly contagious pathogens and 33% of mix epidemiological model pathogens. Overall risk assessment revealed that cubicles free-stall herds shown mastitis lower incidence (OR = 0.49; IC95 [0.34-0.72]). Surprisingly, post-dipping appeared as an overall positive risk indicator for mastitis prevalence (OR =2.13; IC95 [2,13-3,39]). The germ specific approach revealed that Post-dipping was present in low incidence herds with contagious models (OR=0.29; IC95 [0.12-0.71]) and that the type of pathogen model is an interaction in post-dipping risk analysis (Breslow-Day test p<0.0001), whereas housing had no interaction with the model (p=0.33). In this way of categorizing variables, one is able to identify overall risk indicators or germ-specific model. This can lead to more accurate advices in farm consulting. [less ▲]

Glucose-responsive layer-by-layer microcapsules as self-regulated insulin delivery system

Poster (2011, September 03)

Smart block copolymers for biomedical applications

Poster (2011, September 03)

Stimuli-responsive polymers are polymers that respond with rapid changes to external stimuli such as pH, temperature, light or ionic strength. Responses to the stimuli may manifest themselves as changes ... [more ▼]

Stimuli-responsive polymers are polymers that respond with rapid changes to external stimuli such as pH, temperature, light or ionic strength. Responses to the stimuli may manifest themselves as changes in solubility, shape or surface characteristics. They can also lead to the fomation of micelles or a sol-gel transition. These materials are very intersesting for different biomedical applications such as drug delivery systems, tissue engineering or sensors. In this work, we focused on two separate systems: on the one hand, micelles and, on the other hand, iron oxide nanoparticles. These nanoparticles are generally synthesized in a one-step process by alkaline coprecipitation of iron (II) and iron (III) precursors in aqueous solutions (Massart process). However, iron oxide nanoparticle suspensions produced by Massart process are not stable enough in physiological conditions to be used as is. A stabiliser coating is needed to avoid aggregation and consequent precipitation of the colloids in body fluids. For this coating, the polymer blocks chosen are: the poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), the poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and the poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM). The high flexibility and hydrophilicity of PEO chains make it an outstanding candidate for confering stealthiness to micelles and nanoparticles in order to avoid their rapid removal from the body by the opsonization process. The PAA is the pH-responsive block and the anchoring block. The PNIPAM is the thermoresponsive block with a thermal transition close to 37°C (99°F). Triblock copolymer was synthesized by a Reversible Addition Fragmentation Transfer Polymerization (RAFT) process combining poly(acrylic acid) PAA, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and poly(ethylene oxide) or poly[acrylate methoxy poly(ethylene oxide)]. This triblock copolymer was used alone to form micelles and with iron oxide to make magnetic stabilized nanoparticles. The behaviour of micelles and coated nanoparticles was investigated in different conditions by a combination of dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and zeta potential measurements. Moreover, PAA-b-PNIPAM-b-PAMPEO nanofibers were obtained using electrospinning technique. These nanofibers present interesting prospects in the field of biomaterials and biomedical applications as they mimic the extracellular matrix of the skin. [less ▲]

Automated synthesis of [18F] FBEM for labeling of thiol containing compounds

Poster (2011, September 01)

[18F]FBEM, i.e. N-[2-(4-[18F]fluorobenzamido)ethyl]maleimide, is a useful synthon employed for the specific radiolabeling of thiol containing compounds, including peptides and proteins. The aim of the ... [more ▼]

[18F]FBEM, i.e. N-[2-(4-[18F]fluorobenzamido)ethyl]maleimide, is a useful synthon employed for the specific radiolabeling of thiol containing compounds, including peptides and proteins. The aim of the present work was to develop a fast, reproducible and fully automated synthesis of this compound in order to improve its availabilty as well as for obvious radioprotection matters. [less ▲]

Is there a link between an unstable identity and autobiographical memory in schizophrenia ?

Poster (2011, September)

A method for evaluating weaknesses and critical steps in the Radiation Treatment Process through Precursor Events reporting

Poster (2011, September)

objectives: to establish a method based on the reporting of precursor events to detect and to assess weak steps in the Radiation Treatment process. These steps are categorized according to Work domains ... [more ▼]

objectives: to establish a method based on the reporting of precursor events to detect and to assess weak steps in the Radiation Treatment process. These steps are categorized according to Work domains, functional Basic Responsibilities and levels of Severity of precursor events [less ▲]

Optimized deposition of photocatalytic TiO2 thin films produced by a non-aqueous sol-gel method

Poster (2011, September)

NEONATAL INVASIVE GROUP B STREPTOCOCCAL (GBS) INFECTIONS IN EUROPE

Poster (2011, September)

Objectives: To describe clinical characteristics and capsular type of GBS isolates responsible of invasive infections in infants from Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech-Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Spain and ... [more ▼]

Objectives: To describe clinical characteristics and capsular type of GBS isolates responsible of invasive infections in infants from Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech-Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom, representing one of the main objectives of the DEVANI (DEsign of a Vaccine Against Neonatal Infections) project. Methods: Surveillance of invasive GBS infections in infants was performed from mid-2008 through December 2010. For each case, a standardized case report form was filled. Samples from cases were processed using local procedures. GBS isolates were characterised in national central labs using standardised type-specific (Ia, Ib-IX) latex agglutination and molecular typing methods. Results: Data on 188 infants with invasive infection were analysed: 144 (60.6%) early onset diseases (EOD) and 74 (39.4%) late onset diseases (LOD). In EOD, mean/median ages at onset were 14/0 hours and the male:female ratio was 1.25. The predominant manifestation at onset was respiratory distress (42% cases); 83% cases were associated with sepsis/bacteremia, 15% with pneumonia and 6% with meningitis. Late-prenatal screening cultures were obtained from 51% of cases’ mothers and only half of these were positive for GBS. Non-elective C-section, intrapartum fever and rupture of membrane (>18h) were more frequent in EO-cases’ mothers versus healthy babies’ GBS-positive mothers. The major serotypes were III (43%), V (21%) and Ia (18%). In LOD, mean/median ages at onset were 42/34 days and the male:female ratio was 0.9. The predominant characteristic at onset was fever (62% cases); 70% cases were associated with sepsis and 30% with meningitis. Very rare manifestations were osteomyelitis and cellulitis. Serotype III was highly predominant (80.6%) followed mainly by Ia (12.5%). Death rates were 4.7/1.5% in EOD/LOD. Conclusions: Clinical presentations were associated with age at onset of infection. Serotype III predominated in neonatal infections. Prenatal screening was not universal neither sensitive. Study funded through the European Commission Seventh Framework. [less ▲]

Structural and morphological Control of TiO2 nanoparticles by selective adsorption of organic molecules

Poster (2011, September)

Semiconducting nanocrystals with tailored shapes have been widely investigated in the past decades because of their many shape-dependant properties. Anatase, a metastable phase of the titanium dioxyde ... [more ▼]

Semiconducting nanocrystals with tailored shapes have been widely investigated in the past decades because of their many shape-dependant properties. Anatase, a metastable phase of the titanium dioxyde (TiO2), is one of the most interesting material in many applications, such as photocatalysis, photovoltaics, photo/electrochromics or sensors. [1] In addition to an influence of the nanoparticles size, recent works on the anatase phase demonstrated the effect of the expressed surfaces nature on the nanoparticles photoreactivity. [2] Sol-gel method has been used to obtain a wide range of anatase nanoparticles sizes and morphologies by the control of concentrations, ions in solution, solution acidity and aging parameters. [3] In order to avoid the brookite phase often obtained with the anatase phase, microwave heating was efficiently used. Furthermore, conventional heating method has been compared with hydrothermal and microwave activated synthesis. The precise morphological control has been achieved by selective adsorption of organic molecules during synthesis: different shapes of anatase nanoparticles have been synthesized. [4,5]. The influences of synthesis parameters and the organic molecules nature on the nanoparticles structure and morphology have been analysed with various techniques, such as XRD and HRTEM. [less ▲]

Origine de peuplements forestiers tropicaux – Cas du tali (Erythrophleum suaveolens) et de l’assamela (Pericopsis elata) au sud-est du Cameroun

Poster (2011, September)

BUILDING THE QUALITY INTO THE POLYMERIC SOLID DOSAGE FORM MANUFACTURING LINE - CRITICAL QUALITY ATTRIBUTES EVALUATION WITH NIR AND RAMAN PAT TOOLS

Poster (2011, September)

Is the seagrass Posidonia oceanica a reservoir of fecal indicator bacteria in the Mediterranean Sea

Poster (2011, September)

Ant-aphid mutualism - A question of microorganisms?

Poster (2011, September)

It is now long known that some ant and aphid species can present a mutualistic relationship, ants using aphid honeydew as sugar source and in exchange providing the aphid colony cleaning and protection ... [more ▼]

It is now long known that some ant and aphid species can present a mutualistic relationship, ants using aphid honeydew as sugar source and in exchange providing the aphid colony cleaning and protection. From a behavioral point of view, this phenomenon has been well studied, but its chemistry and semiochemical mechanisms are still largely unknown. This study aims to identify semiochemicals involved in the establishment of this relation and their sources, using both chemical and behavioral methods. Bioassays revealed that the greatest part of ant attraction toward aphid colonies is due to honeydew volatile compounds; enabling ant scouts to find more quickly aphid colonies and distantly recognize myrmecophilous species. Many of those VOCs seeming to have microbial origins, the main honeydew microorganisms have been isolated and their roles in VOCs production and ant attraction have been investigated. [less ▲]

Enzymatic interesterification of palm oil and fractions: monitoring the degree of interesterification using different methods.

Poster (2011, September)

Time and space matter when monitoring faecal pollution : searching for efficient sampling designs in relation to hydrological regimes.

Poster (2011, September)

Luxembourg (2586 km2) is a rural country with rather small urban areas. Except for one main river basin, the contamination of surface waters and groundwater by faecal material is an episodic event ... [more ▼]

Luxembourg (2586 km2) is a rural country with rather small urban areas. Except for one main river basin, the contamination of surface waters and groundwater by faecal material is an episodic event. Therefore, classical monitoring schemes based on low, fixed sampling frequency turned out to inefficiently estimate the microbial water quality. Several studies have therefore been carried out on important drinking water resources (springs and surface reservoir) in order to understand the link between the faecal contamination events and the hydrology and the hydrology of these waterbodies. Physico-chemical and hydrological variables that could serve as relevant indicators for triggering selective sampling were also investigated. [less ▲]

Effect of Deferoxamine Mesylate on Freezability of Blood Supplemented Canine Semen

Poster (2011, September)

Systematic expression profiling of Hox genes in the central nervous system of adult mouse

Poster (2011, September)

Enzymatic Interesterificationof Palm oil and Fractions: A Calorimetric Study

Poster (2011, September)

Sedimentology of a continuous Givetian-Frasnian carbonate succession in Sauerland (Germany) and MS comparison with the time-equivalent ones of Ardennes (Belgium) and Moravia (Czech Republic)

Poster (2011, September)

This study focuses on the continuous Givetian-Frasnian section of the abandoned Burgberg's quarry (Messinghausen Anticline, northern margin of the Rhenish Mountains). The exposed section (102 m thick ... [more ▼]

This study focuses on the continuous Givetian-Frasnian section of the abandoned Burgberg's quarry (Messinghausen Anticline, northern margin of the Rhenish Mountains). The exposed section (102 m thick) covers a well constraint stratigraphic interval starting at the base of the Givetian (Stritzke 1991;Aboussalam et al., 2003) and according to our new datations ending within the Lower Famennian. The Middle-Upper Devonian shelf-edge within the Rheinisches Schiefergebirge can be traced from the supposed position along the southern rim of the Dinant Syncline and the Eifel Synclines, northwards along a line connecting the southern margin of the Devonian reefal outcrops of Attendorn and Brilon (Krebs 1967, 1974). The depositional setting of the investigated section corresponds to complex slope and basinal environments where reworked material from the proximal Brilon platform (located to the north) and basin deposits coexist. Thus, this section allows to follow the evolution of the Givetian-Frasnian Brilon (e.g., Machel 1990; Stritze 1990, 1991) platform in a deeper setting. Petrographic analysis of more than 300 thin-sections leads to the identification of 9 microfacies which are integrated into a palaeoenvironmental model. Microfacies curve evolution shows two main trends. A shallowing upward trend ending within a typical proximal slope setting (dismantling of the platform) followed by a deepening upward trend which is characterized by several meter of pelagic mudstone within the upper part of the studied section. Magnetic susceptibility variations in sedimentary rocks, have commonly been interpreted as related to variations of detritic inputs through climatic or sea level changes (Crick et al., 1994). The magnetic susceptibility (MS) study of more than 330 samples from this long-time fore-reef carbonated succession is an opportunity to better constrain our sedimentological interpretations. To do so, we propose a comparison between general MS trends and some parameters such as microfacies and relative sea level fluctuations interpreted on the basis of the sedimentological study. The relatively long stratigraphic interval covered by the Burgberg section offers a good opportunity to compare our data with the time equivalent Devonian sections of the Ardennes (Belgium) and Moravian karst area (Czech Republic) (Boulvain et al., 2010). And thus to test the magnetic susceptibility tool for long distance correlation between stratigraphically well constraint sections. [less ▲]

Enhancement of in-situ Transformation of M2C Eutectics Carbides during High Temperature Heat Treatment on a HSS and a Semi-HSS Grades

Poster (2011, September)

Alloys of the complex system Fe-Si-C-Cr-C-X, where X is a strong carbide forming-element are well known to exhibit interesting mechanical properties, including wear and abrasion resistances. Such a ... [more ▼]

Alloys of the complex system Fe-Si-C-Cr-C-X, where X is a strong carbide forming-element are well known to exhibit interesting mechanical properties, including wear and abrasion resistances. Such a tribological behavior is mainly due to the presence of carbides especially those obtained during the solidification route and that are known as primary or eutectic carbides. It may therefore be interesting to determine the relative stability of primary carbides when considering thermal and thermomechanical treatments performed at a temperature high enough to allow either the homogenization of the matrix or the occurrence of a desired grain size. This thermal stage is often required to produce tailored microstructures that can lead to improved mechanical properties. In this work a series of thermal treatments performed on samples originated form casting foundry parts were done. Raw materials are both HSS and semi-HSS grades used in application where wear resistance is needed. Thermo- Calc® (TC) simulations and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) were performed to determine the crystallization behavior and the subsequent solid state transformations of the studied alloys respectively in equilibrium and in non equilibrium conditions. Light and Scanning Electron Microscopies were done together with hardness measurements in order to enhance metallurgical features of the heat treated samples. Image analysis yielded the determination of carbides volume fractions. It appears from microstructural analyses and carbides quantification that Mo-rich eutectic carbides undergo in situ phase transformations during heat treatments. In fact Mo-rich M2C carbides transform themselves into MC, M6C and M3C, through a so-called budding phenomenon. Such a phenomenon is the evidence of a preferential migration of some atoms that escape from the parent M2C carbide to diffuse further away from their initial site with increasing time and temperature. The stable or metastable nature of eutectic carbides is also discussed from DTA and TC results, as M2C carbides found in both as-conditions and DTA samples were not predicted by equilibrium conditions. [less ▲]

Effeti comportamentali dell'endosulfan su girini di Rana dalmatina

Poster (2011, September)

Seagrass response to in situ trace element contaminations

Poster (2011, September)

The Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile has been widely used since the mid-seventies as bioindicator to monitor trace element (TE) coastal pollution. However, there is a lack of ... [more ▼]

The Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile has been widely used since the mid-seventies as bioindicator to monitor trace element (TE) coastal pollution. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding to that seagrass contamination and decontamination kinetics. For the first time, Posidonia were experimentally in situ contaminated in 2009, at 10m depth in Calvi Bay (Corsica), by a mix of 15 TE (Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Ag, Cd, Pb and Bi). Trace element concentrations were measured by DRC-ICP-MS in leaves, rhizomes and in overall shoots sampled at regular time intervals. P. oceanica immediately accumulated pollutants from the beginning of experiments; once contaminations ended, TE concentrations came back close to their original levels within 2 weeks, or at least showed a clear decrease. Posidonia leaves exhibited different uptake kinetics for many elements (Cr, Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd, Pb and Bi): the younger growing leaves incorporated chemicals more rapidly than the older ones. Rhizomes did not show any clear trend, except for Cu, Zn and Bi. These results demonstrate that Posidonia is a very sensitive sentinel to immediately delineate punctual pollutions similar to what might be measured in contaminated Mediterranean waters. The very good response of Posidonia leaves to pollutant short term expositions suggests their routine use in regularly scheduled monitoring programs. Nevertheless, to by-pass Posidonia leaves deciduous character and their capability to detoxify rapidly, long term accumulation recordings also necessitate below-ground tissues analyses. [less ▲]

When MIR spectrometry helps to promote a local and vulnerable breed

Poster (2011, August 31)

The dual purpose Belgian Blue breed (DP-BB) is a vulnerable breed rooted in the tradition of the Walloon Region of Belgium. DP-BB has interesting features (e.g. robustness, good longevity and ease of ... [more ▼]

The dual purpose Belgian Blue breed (DP-BB) is a vulnerable breed rooted in the tradition of the Walloon Region of Belgium. DP-BB has interesting features (e.g. robustness, good longevity and ease of calving). Due to its dual purpose type, income generated by both milk and meat is more stable and more flexible in responding to market fluctuations. Registered DP-BB cows are milk recorded (one of the conditions for them to be registered as DP-BB and therefore to get AEM subsidies). Since near 4 years, during routine milk recording, nearly all mid-infrared (MIR) spectra generated at the milk labs and the information of test-day records were collected in a database. Calibration equations using the MIR spectrometry were developed permitting the prediction of several bovine milk components (e.g., fatty acids (FA)). Their application on the MIR spectral database would allow comparing milk composition from 920 DP-BB and 52,497 Holstein cows (selected cows had a proportion of Holstein or DP-BB in their breed composition of at least 90%). On average, each cows had 6 test-day records with MIR spectra in the database. MIR predictions were analyzed using GLM procedure with 5 fixed effects (breed, herd, lactation number, month of test-day recording and lactation stage); values presented are lsmeans (± s.e.) of the breed. Although milk and fat yields were lower for DP-BB, their FA proportions in fat were different from Holstein. Indeed, there are 66.0% (0.2) and 67.6% (0.0) of saturated FA in fat of milk for DP-BB and Holstein, respectively. Furthermore, the DP-BB milk fat was richer in omega-9 (20.7% (0.2) vs. 19.6% (0.0) for DP-BB and Holstein, respectively). Use of MIR predictions may help stakeholders to promote milk and future dairy products from DP-BB. [less ▲]

Integration of foreign breeding values for stallions into the Belgian genetic evaluation for jumping horses

Poster (2011, August 30)

The aim of this study was to test the integration of foreign estimated breeding values (EBV) for stallions into the Belgian genetic evaluation for jumping horses. Belgian breeders import horses from ... [more ▼]

The aim of this study was to test the integration of foreign estimated breeding values (EBV) for stallions into the Belgian genetic evaluation for jumping horses. Belgian breeders import horses from neighbouring countries for which foreign information is needed as prior to estimate a more accurate EBV. The Belgian model is a bivariate repeatability BLUP animal model. For the year 2009, pedigree and data files contained 101 382 horses and 712 212 performances. 98 French and 67 Dutch stallions were selected and their foreign EBVs were converted into Belgian national trait. Associated reliabilities were also estimated. A Bayesian approach (Legarra et al., 2007) was applied to integrate this prior information into the Belgian evaluation. It led to a slight modification of the average EBV and of the standard deviation for the whole population. It also led to a new Belgian ranking of the foreign stallions more similar to foreign rankings. However, the adequacy of the Belgian model was not damaged. With regards to prediction ability, Bayesian evaluations using conversion equation estimated by Weighted Least Squares procedure predicted the best traditional EBVs of the year 2009 for the French stallions. For the Dutch ones, it were the evaluations associated to the conversion equation based on Wilmink et al. (1986). For both countries, Bayesian evaluations using conversion equation based on Goddard (1985) improved the most the stability of EBVs. Finally, integration of French and Dutch information improved reliabilities of the Bayesian EBVs of at least 5% and 2% for French and Dutch stallions, respectively. These results confirm the interest to integrate foreign information into the Belgian evaluation for jumping horses. [less ▲]

Stereocontrol of attosecond time-scale electron dynamics in ABCU using ultrafast laser pulses: a computational study.

Poster (2011, August 23)

Detection of aggregative behaviour in binary choice experiments

Poster (2011, August 22)

Aggregative behaviour can be defined as a natural tendency for individuals to cluster in space into groups of varying sizes. In entomology, this behaviour can be detected in binary choice experiments ... [more ▼]

Aggregative behaviour can be defined as a natural tendency for individuals to cluster in space into groups of varying sizes. In entomology, this behaviour can be detected in binary choice experiments. Analysis of these experiments reveals specific characteristics (unequal counts between repetitions, dependence of individual choices) that make the traditional adjustment tests fail. We demonstrate that the use of generalized linear models can circumvent these pitfalls and deliver a reliable diagnosis on the social behaviour of the studied invertebrates. The strength of this behaviour can then be evaluated through the use of common correlation models. [less ▲]

Use of Chrysoperla carnea larvae for biological control of immature stages of Leptinotarsa decemlineata

Poster (2011, August 13)

The Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say, is an important economic pest of potato which populations are effectively controlled by insecticides. However, development of resistance ... [more ▼]

The Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say, is an important economic pest of potato which populations are effectively controlled by insecticides. However, development of resistance along with the poor image of unnaturally management methods pushes researchers to develop alternative "greener" methods. Chrysoperla carnea is a generalist predator whose larvae are very voracious on any types of soft-bodied insects. In laboratory assays, we demonstrated a good predatory potential of lacewing larvae against eggs, first and second CPB larval instars. The third lacewing larval instar showed an important consumption of CPB immature stages. Indeed, when looking at the daily consumption, we found that prey consumption by the third larval instar was 3-fold higher compared to the two first instars. Partial or total consumption of prey was also numbered. Different proportions of partial/total consumption were found and these depend on the lacewing larval stage. This study provides new perspectives for possible use of C. carnea as a biological agent to control CPB. Nevertheless, additional work has to be conducted under semi-natural and field to completely evaluate the lacewing potential as a CPB predator. [less ▲]

Genome-wide epistasis screening for asthma associated traits

Poster (2011, August 01)

Genome-wide association (GWA) studies of asthma and associated traits have identified numerous genes. A substantial portion of the heritability of these traits remains unexplained. Some variants, not ... [more ▼]

Genome-wide association (GWA) studies of asthma and associated traits have identified numerous genes. A substantial portion of the heritability of these traits remains unexplained. Some variants, not detectable via main effects GWA study may manifest themselves only in interaction with other variants. To search for interacting genes involved in regulation of asthma associated traits (total IgE, eosinophils, FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC) we performed GWA epistasis screening in two family groups of asthma patients:CAMP (Childhood Asthma Management Program:814 cases and 467 trios) and CARE (Childhood Asthma Research and Education:796 cases and 338 trios) [dbGaP accession number phs000166.v1.p1.c1]. Individuals were genotyped with the Aymetrix 6.0 array. After quality control 574922 and 575010 SNPs in CAMP and CARE respectively, were tested with FBAT. No main effects genome-wide significant associations were found. We prioritized candidate pairs of SNPs for MB-MDR epistasis screening using Biofilter leading to 7632 SNPs for CAMP and 7603 SNPs for CARE. The most significant pair-wise interaction was identified between SNPs from loci 7p21.1 and 12q23.3 influencing eosinophil level in asthmatics. [less ▲]

Evidence of a verbal overshadowing effect in children

Poster (2011, August 01)

The report of verbal descriptions of a culprit by adult witnesses may impair their later identification ability, a phenomenon known as the “verbal overshadowing effect (VO)” (Schooler & Englster-Schooler ... [more ▼]

The report of verbal descriptions of a culprit by adult witnesses may impair their later identification ability, a phenomenon known as the “verbal overshadowing effect (VO)” (Schooler & Englster-Schooler, 1990). In spite of a large body of literature on the suggestibility of children testimony, only one study has examined whether descriptions also impaired children’s identification abilities in a single group of children (8-9 years old) and no evidence of VO was found (Memon & Rose, 2002). However, some procedural details were not controlled in this experiment and the absence of a control adult group did not allow determining whether the procedure used was able to induce a VO effect. Hence, 2 experiments were conducted on several groups of children (7-8, 10-11, 13-14 years old) and adults to determine the influence of development on the VO effect. Overall, a VO effect on face identification was found in both experiments. The quality and influence of descriptors across the ages were also examined. [less ▲]

Endotoxin-induced alterations in renal oxygen consumption: an ESR oximetry study

Poster (2011, August)

The kidney, one of the most injured organs in critically ill patients, is faced with unique challenges for molecular oxygen regulation. Recent research activities in the pathophysiological mechanism of ... [more ▼]

The kidney, one of the most injured organs in critically ill patients, is faced with unique challenges for molecular oxygen regulation. Recent research activities in the pathophysiological mechanism of acute renal injury (ARI) emphasize the central role of hemodynamic and inflammatory events in septic shock. More particularly, two mechanisms have been postulated to explain the inability of the injured kidney to extract oxygen: tissue hypoxia and cellular energetic metabolism dysfunction. The present investigation was carried out to characterize the effects of bacterial endotoxin on the oxygen consumption of human tubular proximal cell line (PTC) by using the very sensitive electron spin resonance oximetry method. Oxygen consumption was shown to decrease quite markedly in cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from 16.52 ± 2.51 (n=6) in the control group to: 12.94 ± 2.62 (n=3) in the short incubation time group (6h) and 10.86 ± 2.20 (n=3) in the long incubation time group (18h). This decrease in oxygen consumption in renal cells after LPS challenge may be in relation with a metabolic down-regulation. Renal energetic are deranged in sepsis not just because O2 delivery is impaired but perhaps also because the ability of cells to utilize available O2 is compromised. [less ▲]

Effet de la technique vocale sur la justesse en voix chantée

Poster (2011, August)

Selon Dalla Bella et al. (2007, 2009), la population générale est capable de chanter juste une chanson populaire lorsque le tempo de la production est lent. Le chant est une activité universelle, présente ... [more ▼]

Selon Dalla Bella et al. (2007, 2009), la population générale est capable de chanter juste une chanson populaire lorsque le tempo de la production est lent. Le chant est une activité universelle, présente dès le plus jeune âge, mais reste une tâche complexe mobilisant des habiletés physiques, cognitives et physiologiques. En travaillant leur voix, les chanteurs professionnels, tels des instrumentistes, renforcent ces habiletés et sont capables de modifier la qualité de leur production vocale. Dans cette étude, nous examinons l’effet de cette expertise vocale et plus particulièrement de la technique “lyrique” enseignée aux chanteurs d’opéra sur certaines caractéristiques telles que la hauteur absolue et le tempo. En ce qui concerne la justesse, les techniques d’analyse acoustique mises au point nous permettent d’observer les erreurs possibles en production vocale (Schön et al., 2004) dans un contexte mélodique. Nous avons constitué un groupe contrôle de 63 non chanteuses et un groupe expérimental de 15 chanteuses professionnelles. Les sujets ont chanté « Happy Birthday ». Les chanteuses professionnelles l’ont chanté une première fois sans technique vocale particulière (ST) et une seconde fois avec une technique vocale lyrique (AT). La partie stable de chaque voyelle a été moyennée (AudioSculpt) et analysée (OpenMusic) afin d’estimer la hauteur absolue et relative de chaque note. Les résultats montrent des différences significatives entre les groupes pour le tempo (F(2,88)=16,61, p<.001) et la hauteur absolue (F(2,88)=165,63, p<.001). Chez les non chanteuses, le nombre d’erreur diminue avec le tempo (r=.321, p=01). Chez les chanteuses professionnelles AT, nous observons le profil inverse (r=-.662, p=01) mais pas de corrélation significative chez les chanteuses professionnelles ST. Les premiers résultats confirment l’effet de la technique vocale tant sur le type d’erreur que sur l’importance de ces erreurs en contexte mélodique. Bien que nous attendions une bonne performance chez les chanteuses professionnelles AT, les résultats ne vont pas dans ce sens. Cela conduit à discuter le type d’analyse à exécuter et le choix des programmes pour le jugement de la justesse en voix chantée avec technique vocale. [less ▲]

Expression of the metal homeostasis gene FRD3 in two Arabidopsis species

Poster (2011, August)

Attraction of wireworms towards root-emitted volatile organic compounds of barley

Poster (2011, August)

Wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae) are soil dwelling pests of many crops. Aldrin and lindane used to provide satisfactory treatment levels of infested lands. Their withdrawal from the market for ... [more ▼]

Wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae) are soil dwelling pests of many crops. Aldrin and lindane used to provide satisfactory treatment levels of infested lands. Their withdrawal from the market for environmental issues gave birth to new needs in terms of management. In order to enhance integrated management of this pest, we work on the chemical ecology of Agriotes sordidus Illiger. We focus on its interaction with barley roots, mediated by volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Our experimentations are based on behavioural responses of wireworms in olfactometric devices and their statistical relevance [less ▲]

New insights on the stability of the (1-84) PTH as determined with an automated 3rd generation PTH assay.

Poster (2011, July 28)

Host location by the parasitoid, Nasonia vitripennis Walker (Hymenoptera : Pteromalidae)

Poster (2011, July 24)

Successful reproduction for parasitoids encompasses a series of behavioral steps commonly defined as host-habitat location, host location, host acceptance and host regulation. Successful host location ... [more ▼]

Successful reproduction for parasitoids encompasses a series of behavioral steps commonly defined as host-habitat location, host location, host acceptance and host regulation. Successful host location, where resources are patchily distributed within the environment, is dependent on the information value of stimuli used in the host location process. Chemical cues produced by either the host itself, products derived from the host play an important role in host location. This study investigated the role of odorant cues used during host location by the generalist parasitoid, Nasonia vitripennis Walker. N vitripennis is a common parasitoid of Dipteran pupae found in association with decaying carrion. The biological activity of eight of the volatile molecules constituting the odour of pupae were tested on the searching behavior of parasitoid females through chemoecological approache: olfactometry bioassays. [less ▲]

Glycine receptor activation influences early cortical development

Poster (2011, July 14)

The strychnine-sensitive glycine receptor (GlyR) is a member of the ligand-gated ion channel superfamily. In the adult, the GlyR is known to mediate fast inhibitory neurotransmission in the spinal cord ... [more ▼]

The strychnine-sensitive glycine receptor (GlyR) is a member of the ligand-gated ion channel superfamily. In the adult, the GlyR is known to mediate fast inhibitory neurotransmission in the spinal cord and in the brainstem. The GlyR has also been described in the embryonic cortex after embryonic day 19 (E19) (Flint et al., 1998) where it could participate in developmental processes, but its presence at earlier stages has not been documented. Since other neurotransmitter systems, i.e. GABA and its receptors, are known to be potent signals that control corticogenesis (Nguyen et al., 2001; Ik-Tsen et al., 2007), we wondered if glycine and its GlyR could also fulfill such a function. In this study, we analyze GlyR expression and its physiological function in the early development of the cortex using in vitro cultures of embryonic day 13 slices, patch-clamp and immunocytochemistry. [less ▲]

Cassini UVIS Observations of Varying Auroral Emissions on Saturn's Night Side

Poster (2011, July 11)

The Ultraviolet Spectrograph (UVS) on Juno

Poster (2011, July 11)

Auroral signatures of injections in the magnetosphere of Saturn

Poster (2011, July 11)