Quelques considérations sur la préservation de l'authenticité des quartiers résidentiels modernes du nord de Bucarest

in Crisan, Rodica, Franco, Giovanna; Musso, Stefano F. (Eds.) Conservation / Regeneration - The modernist neighborhood (2013)

Raw or heated cow milk consumption: Review of risks and benefits

in Food Control (2013), 31(1), 251-262

In the context of the prevailing trend toward more natural products, there seems to be an increasing preference for raw milk consumption as raw milk is associated with several perceived health benefits ... [more ▼]

In the context of the prevailing trend toward more natural products, there seems to be an increasing preference for raw milk consumption as raw milk is associated with several perceived health benefits that are believed to be destroyed upon heating. However, many human pathogens can be isolated from raw cow milk. The prevalence of foodborne pathogens in raw cow milk varies, but their presence has been demonstrated in many surveys and foodborne infections have been repeatedly reported for Campylobacter, Salmonella spp. and human pathogenic verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli. In industrialized countries, milk-borne and milk product-borne outbreaks represent 2-6% of the bacterial foodborne outbreaks.The aim of this review is to present scientifically sound data regarding the risks and benefits related to the consumption of raw and heated cow milk. Both microbiological aspects (e.g., the prevalence of milk-borne pathogens, pathogen growth inhibition by antimicrobial systems and by lactic acid producing bacteria, probiotic bacteria, etc.) and nutritional or health aspects (nutritional value, immunity, allergies, lactose intolerance, diabetes, milk digestibility, etc.) are considered.As such, it is demonstrated that consumption of raw milk poses a realistic health threat due to a possible contamination with human pathogens. It is therefore strongly recommended that milk should be heated before consumption. With the exception of an altered organoleptic profile, heating (in particularly ultra high temperature and similar treatments) will not substantially change the nutritional value of raw milk or other benefits associated with raw milk consumption. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. [less ▲]

A multi-scale cardiovascular system model can account for the load-dependence of the end-systolic pressure-volume relationship.

in BioMedical Engineering OnLine (2013), 12(1), 8

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The end-systolic pressure-volume relationship is often considered as a load-independent property of the heart and, for this reason, is widely used as an index of ventricular ... [more ▼]

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The end-systolic pressure-volume relationship is often considered as a load-independent property of the heart and, for this reason, is widely used as an index of ventricular contractility. However, many criticisms have been expressed against this index and the underlying time-varying elastance theory: first, it does not consider the phenomena underlying contraction and second, the end-systolic pressure volume relationship has been experimentally shown to be load-dependent. METHODS: In place of the time-varying elastance theory, a microscopic model of sarcomere contraction is used to infer the pressure generated by the contraction of the left ventricle, considered as a spherical assembling of sarcomere units. The left ventricle model is inserted into a closed-loop model of the cardiovascular system. Finally, parameters of the modified cardiovascular system model are identified to reproduce the hemodynamics of a normal dog. RESULTS: Experiments that have proven the limitations of the time-varying elastance theory are reproduced with our model: (1) preload reductions, (2) afterload increases, (3) the same experiments with increased ventricular contractility, (4) isovolumic contractions and (5) flow-clamps. All experiments simulated with the model generate different end-systolic pressure-volume relationships, showing that this relationship is actually load-dependent. Furthermore, we show that the results of our simulations are in good agreement with experiments. CONCLUSIONS: We implemented a multi-scale model of the cardiovascular system, in which ventricular contraction is described by a detailed sarcomere model. Using this model, we successfully reproduced a number of experiments that have shown the failing points of the time-varying elastance theory. In particular, the developed multi-scale model of the cardiovascular system can capture the load-dependence of the end-systolic pressure-volume relationship. [less ▲]

The influence of a grain boundary on the thermal transport properties of bulk, melt-processed Y-Ba-Cu-O

in Superconductor Science and Technology (2013), 26

We report the dependence of thermal conductivity, thermoelectric power and electrical resistivity on temperature for a bulk, large grain melt-processed Y-Ba-Cu-O (YBCO) high temperature superconductor ... [more ▼]

We report the dependence of thermal conductivity, thermoelectric power and electrical resistivity on temperature for a bulk, large grain melt-processed Y-Ba-Cu-O (YBCO) high temperature superconductor (HTS) containing two grains separated by a well-defined grain boundary. Transport measurements at temperatures between 10 and 300 K were carried out both within one single grain (intra-granular properties) and across the grain boundary (inter-granular properties). The influence of an applied external magnetic field of up to 8 T on the measured sample properties was also investigated. The presence of the grain boundary is found to affect strongly the electrical resistivity of the melt-processed bulk sample, but has almost no effect on its thermoelectric power and thermal conductivity, within experimental error. The results of this study provide direct evidence that the heat flow in multi-granular melt-processed YBCO bulk samples should be virtually unaffected by the presence of grain boundaries in the material. © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd. [less ▲]

Predicting funds of hedge funds attrition through performance diagnostics

in Gregoriou, Greg (Ed.) Reconsidering Funds of Hedge Funds (2013)

The analysis of individual mutual funds survivorship reveals that a model based on the consideration of a wide class of performance measures can be a solid predictor of their disappearance. Given the ... [more ▼]

The analysis of individual mutual funds survivorship reveals that a model based on the consideration of a wide class of performance measures can be a solid predictor of their disappearance. Given the importance of performance fees, this phenomenon is likely to be all the more relevant for funds of hedge funds. In this analysis, we apply a diagnostics methodology to predict the disappearance of funds of hedge funds from databases, which we consider a sign of their attrition. Our research shows that prediction is also possible for these types of hedge funds, and even that the predictive ability of the model is stronger than for mutual funds. [less ▲]

Dike-break induced flows: a simplified model

in Environmental Fluid Mechanics (2013), 13(1), 89-100

A simplified model for the prediction of the steady-state outflowthrough a breach in an inland dike is presented. It consists in the application of the mass and momentum conservation principles to a ... [more ▼]

A simplified model for the prediction of the steady-state outflowthrough a breach in an inland dike is presented. It consists in the application of the mass and momentum conservation principles to a macroscopic control volume. A proper definition of the shape of the control volume enables to take the main characteristics of the flow into account and thus to compensate for the extreme simplification of the spatial representation of the model. At the breach, a relation derived from the shallow-water equations is used to determine the direction of the flow. Developments have been guided by numerical simulations and results have been compared to experimental data. Both the accuracy and the domain of validity of the simplified model are found satisfactory. [less ▲]

Intégration du stress microbien pour le scaling-up des bioréacteurs

Scientific conference (2013)

Visean corals from the transverse Jebel Begaa to Gara el Itima (eastern Tafilalt, Morocco)

in Document de l'Institut Scientifique, Rabat (2013), 26

Nonlinear Normal Modes of Nonconservative Systems

in Proceedings of the SEM IMAC XXXI Conference (2013)

Linear modal analysis is a mature tool enjoying various applications ranging from bridges to satellites. Nevertheless, modal analysis fails in the presence of nonlinear dynamical phenomena and the ... [more ▼]

Linear modal analysis is a mature tool enjoying various applications ranging from bridges to satellites. Nevertheless, modal analysis fails in the presence of nonlinear dynamical phenomena and the development of a practical nonlinear analog of modal analysis is a current research topic. Recently, numerical techniques (e.g., harmonic balance, continuation of periodic solutions) were developed for the computation of nonlinear normal modes (NNMs). Because these methods are limited to conservative systems, the present study targets the computation of NNMs for nonconservative systems. Their definition as invariant manifolds in phase space is considered. Specifically, a new finite element technique is proposed to solve the set of partial differential equations governing the manifold geometry. [less ▲]

Managers’ competences in social enterprises: which specificities?

in Social Enterprise Journal (2013)

The management of an organization and the context within which this organization evolves are recognized as two important aspects of any organization. Few studies have been conducted however on the ... [more ▼]

The management of an organization and the context within which this organization evolves are recognized as two important aspects of any organization. Few studies have been conducted however on the management function within the specific context of social enterprises, organizations that mix social goals and economic imperatives (Darbus & Lazuech, 2010). This paper examines the specific competences of management in social enterprises, by constructing a competence model, the emblematic tool of competence-based management, relevant to the management of social enterprises (Colin & Grasser, 2007; Oiry & Sulzer, 2002; Retour & Rapiaux, 2006). Our hypothesis is that certain competences required of managers in social enterprises are specific, regarding the particular internal and external context of social enterprises, the governance model, etc. The methodology used is based on four main steps: a review of the literature and the conducting of exploratory interviews, the construction of a first draft of the competence model, the conducting of group interviews with managers of social enterprises in six European countries as this research takes place within the framework of a European research project on lifelong learning , and the final adaptation and validation of the competence model. [less ▲]