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Here we present the new experimental stations devoted to the studies of matter under extreme conditions at the X-ray absorption beamlines BM23 and ID24-DCM that were recently refurbished within the ESRF – Extremely Brilliant Source (EBS) upgrade program. In comparison with the stations before the EBS upgrade, they exhibit outstanding performances in terms of sample positioning capabilities, acceptance of multi-detection systems and complex sample environments. In addition, significant improvements regarding the photon flux and focusing capabilities down to the submicron size have been achieved. These stations are now coupled with the new ESRF double crystal monochromators that exhibit an exceptional beam position and energy stability and that permit quick micro-EXAFS measurements down to one EXAFS/second, and hyperspectral EXAFS mapping. In this contribution, we discuss the choices regarding the sample and detector stages and illustrate the potential of the new setups for extreme conditions studies based on selected preliminary results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthony Turpin,1–3 Michael Genin,4 Mohamed Hebbar,1,2 Florent Occelli,5 Caroline Lanier,5 Francis Vasseur,4 Clotilde Descarpentries,6 Diane Pannier,7 Anne Ploquin1 1Medical oncology unit, Hôpital Claude Huriez, F-59000 Lille, France; 2Lille University Medical School, Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France; 3University Lille, CNRS, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR 8161 - Mechanisms of Tumorigenesis and Target Therapies, F-59021 Lille, France; 4EA 2694-Santé Publique: épidémiologie et qualité des soins, University Lille, CHU Lille, 59000 Lille, France; 5EA 4483 - Impact de l’environnement chimique sur la santé humaine, University of Lille, 59000 Lille, France; 6Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oncology and Molecular Genetics Laboratory, CHU Lille, Lille, France; 7Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Oscar Lambret, Lille, F-59000, FranceCorrespondence: Anthony TurpinMedical Oncology Unit, Hôpital Claude Huriez, Rue Michel Polonovski, Lille Cedex 59037, FranceTel +33 32 044 5461Fax +33 32 044 4381Email anthony.turpin@chru-lille.frBackground: Somatic mutations in the KRAS gene are the most common oncogenic mutations found in human cancers. However, no clinical features have been linked to KRAS mutations in colorectal cancer [CRC].Purpose: In this study, we attempted to identify the potential geographical population clusters of KRAS mutations in CRC patients in northern France.Patients and methods: All patients with CRC who were identified to have KRAS mutations between 2008 and 2014 at the Regional Molecular Biology Platform at Lille University Hospital were included. 2,486 patients underwent a KRAS status available, with 40.9% of CRC with KRAS mutations in northern France. We retrospectively collected demographic and geographic data from these patients. The proportions of KRAS mutation were smoothed to take into account the variability related to low frequencies and spatial autocorrelation. Geographical clusters were searched using spatial scan statistical models.Results: A mutation at KRAS codon 12 or 13 was found in 1,018 patients [40.9%]. We report 5 clusters of over-incidence but only one elongated cluster that was statistically significant [Cluster 1; proportion of KRAS mutation among CRC: 0.4570; RR=1.29; P=0.0314]. We made an ecological study which did not highlight a significant association between KRAS mutations and the distance to the Closest Waste Incineration Plant, and between KRAS mutations and The French Ecological Deprivation Index but few socio-economic and environmental data were available.Conclusion: There was a spatial heterogeneity and a greater frequency of KRAS mutations in some areas close to major highways and big cities in northern France. These data demand deeper epidemiological investigations to identify environmental factors such as air pollution as key factors in the occurrence of KRAS mutations.Keywords: colorectal cancer, KRAS mutation, spatial scan statistics, carcinogens, highways

We report a microsecond time-resolved x-ray absorption near edge structure study using synchrotron radiation to dynamically detect structural phase transitions in Fe undergoing rapid heating along a quasi-isochoric path. Within a few ms, we observed two structural phase transitions, which transform the ambient bcc phase of Fe into the fcc phase, and then into the liquid phase. This example illustrates the opportunities offered by energy dispersive x-ray absorption spectroscopy in the study of matter under extreme dynamic conditions. Advanced simulations are compared to these data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time‐resolved X‐ray diffraction measurements have been carried out on dynamically compressed Sn up to a maximum pressure of ∼13 GPa at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. The phase transition from β‐Sn to body‐centered tetragonal (b.c.t.) Sn has been observed using synchrotron X‐ray diffraction for the first time undergoing shock compression and release. Following maximum compression, the sample releases to lower pressures for several nanoseconds until the reverse transition occurs. The data are in good agreement with previous shock boundaries that indicate that the β‐Sn phase is stable ∼2 GPa higher than the static boundary upon compression and the b.c.t.‐Sn phase is stable ∼1 GPa lower upon release. The transition to the high‐pressure phase reveals a loss of texture in the X‐ray diffraction data from the 'quasi' single‐crystal β‐Sn structure to a more powder‐like Debye–Scherrer ring. Time‐resolved X‐ray diffraction measurements were carried out on dynamically compressed Sn at the ID09 beamline of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. Using an infra‐red laser (up to 180 mJ at 1064 nm) with a 5 ns Gaussian pulse shape, the high‐pressure β‐Sn to b.c.t.‐Sn phase transition was observed using a single X‐ray bunch from the synchrotron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ion stopping experiments in plasma for beam energies of few hundred keV per nucleon are of great interest to benchmark the stopping-power models in the context of inertial confinement fusion and high-energy-density physics research. For this purpose, a specific ion detector on chemical-vapor-deposition diamond basis has been developed for precise time-of-flight measurements of the ion energy loss. The electrode structure is interdigitated for maximizing its sensitivity to low-energy ions, and it has a finger width of 100 μm and a spacing of 500 μm. A short single α-particle response is obtained, with signals as narrow as 700 ps at full width at half maximum. The detector has been tested with α-particle bunches at a 500 keV per nucleon energy, showing an excellent time-of-flight resolution down to 20 ps. In this way, beam energy resolutions from 0.4 keV to a few keV have been obtained in an experimental configuration using a 100 μg/cm2 thick carbon foil as an energy-loss target and a 2 m time-of-flight distance. This allows a highly precise beam energy measurement of δE/E ≈ 0.04%–0.2% and a resolution on the energy loss of 0.6%–2.5% for a fine testing of stopping-power models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present in this paper recent advances in the high pressure domain provided by the introduction of time-resolved energy-dispersive XAS (EDXAS) techniques at synchrotrons. We highlight technical aspects and describe two modes of acquisition: the ‘movie’ mode, where the time resolution is given by the detector acquisition speed and the ‘pump-and-probe’ mode, where the time resolution is given by the delay between the pump and the probe. These two modes define a frontier in the time resolution, respectively above and below the ∼10 μs regime. In the former, examples of applications are chemical stability and reactions at high pressure and high temperature or probing the warm dense matter regime using rapid current ramps. In the latter, an example is given on studies of dynamically compressed matter, by coupling single-bunch EDXAS at high-brilliance synchrotron to a nanosecond high-power laser. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The conditions of the pressure-inducedphase transformation in zirconium have been reported to be influenced by the sample purity, the pressurizing conditions, and the deformation rate. Here, we study this transformation using a dynamic diamond-anvil cell compression setup and ms-scale time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The sample pressure is also monitored at the same timescale using the ruby luminescence method. For the samples used in this study (polycrystal of 99.9+ purity, hydrostatically compressed in neon pressure transmitting medium), the phase transformation pressure is very close in static (11 GPa) and in dynamic (12±1 GPa) compression and the transformation is achieved in less than a few ms at 12 GPa. Comparison with literature studies suggest that the kinetics and the mechanism of this martensitic phase transformation are different under hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic compression. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We demonstrate here a laser-driven shock wave in a hydrogen sample, pre-compressed in a diamond anvil cell. The compression factors of the dynamic and static techniques are multiplied. This approach allows access to a family of Hugoniot curves which span the P-T phase diagram of fluid hydrogen to high density. In this first-of-its-kind experiment, two hydrogen Hugoniot curves have been partially followed starting from pre-compression at pressures of 0.7 GPa and 1.2 GPa. Optical reflectance probing at two wavelengths reveals the onset of the conducting fluid state. The boundary line to conducting fluid hydrogen is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction De fortes disparités d’incidence de l’IRCT ont récemment été observées entre les départements de France métropolitaine avec une influence notable du diabète et de la précarité sociale des populations. La littérature récente suggère également une part attribuable à l’environnement. Une analyse spatiale à fine échelle de l’incidence d’IRCT a été effectuée au sein d’une des régions les plus touchées, afin de rechercher des facteurs de risque. Patients/Matériels et méthodes Une étude écologique géographique a été menée à partir de l’ensemble des cas incidents d’IRCT recensés dans cette région à partir du registre REIN entre 2005 et 2014. Des méthodes de cartographie de ratios d’incidence standardisés (SIR lissés) et de détection de clusters atypiques d’évènements (statistique de scan), ajustées sur l’âge, le sexe et la prévalence de diabète ont été menées pour mettre en évidence des disparités d’incidence à l’échelle cantonale. Les clusters de sur-incidence (C +) et de sous-incidence (C −) détectés ont été décrits et comparés à l’aide (i) des données cliniques des patients (caractéristiques néphropatiques et comorbidités) afin d’évaluer l’influence de pratiques médicales ; (ii) de données écologiques (démographie médicale, précarité des populations, occupation du sol et pollution atmosphérique) afin d’évaluer l’influence de l’offre de soins et de facteurs de risques dans la genèse de ces disparités spatiales. Observation/Résultats La cartographie des SIR lissés montre de fortes disparités infrarégionales d’incidence d’IRCT, avec la présence de deux clusters de sur-incidence (Risque relatif de 1,24 pour C + 1 et 1,18 pour C + 2), et trois clusters de sous-incidence (Risque relatif de 0,74 pour C − 1 ; 0,78 pour C − 2 ; 0,83 pour C − 3). Les clusters de sous-incidence sont plutôt retrouvés au niveau des zones rurales, suggérant l’influence de déserts médicaux. Il n’existe pas de différences de pratiques de prise en charge entre les clusters. Les clusters de sur-incidence hébergent des populations plus défavorisées que les clusters de sous-incidence. Cela confirme la forte influence de la précarité socio–économique dans la maladie rénale chronique. Il existe également des différences de niveau de pollution entre les clusters, avec des niveaux très élevés sur C + 2, très faibles sur C − 1 et moyens sur C − 2, C − 3 et C + 1. Discussion/Conclusion L’ajustement sur la prévalence de diabète permet de mettre en avant d’autres facteurs de risque et devrait être mis en oeuvre en routine dans ce type d’analyse. Le poids de la précarité par rapport à celui de l’environnement ne semble pas identique quel que soit le cluster détecté. Une analyse multivariée est désormais nécessaire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equation of state of a-U has been measured at 300 K and 14 K up to 60 GPa, and calculated in similar conditions using density functional theory. We observe an unusual behavior of the experimental bulk modulus with temperature, which can be ascribed to the charge-density wave transition undergone in uranium at low temperature and low pressure. This results in a failure of the density functional theory with quasiharmonic thermodynamics to accurately predict the equation of state of α-U in a moderate P-T range (below 20 GPa and 300 K). However, these approximations should yield quantitative results in more extreme conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equation of state of LiH was extended to 252 GPa (V/V0 = 32%) at room temperature using x-ray diffraction in diamond-anvil cells. LiH was shown to remain in the the NaCl (B1 ) structure under these conditions, and the predicted B\-B2 phase transition well known in neighboring alkali halides was not observed. Raman spectroscopy performed up to 120 GPa revealed all transverse and acoustic phonon modes at the X point of reciprocal space. The structural, equation of state and thermodynamic properties clarified in this study enable the benchmarking of current theoretical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The α-Fe ↔ ϵ-Fe pressure-induced transformation under pure hydrostatic static compression has been characterized with in situ x-ray diffraction using α-Fe single crystals as starting samples. The forward transition starts at 14.9 GPa, and the reverse at 12 GPa, with a width of α-ϵ coexistence domain of the order of 2 GPa. The elastic stress in the sample increases in this domain, and partially relaxes after completion of the transformation. Orientation relations between parent α-Fe and child ϵ-Fe have been determined, which definitely validates the Burgers path for the direct transition. On the reverse transition, an unexpected variant selection is observed. X-ray diffraction data, complemented with ex situ microstructural observations, suggest that this selection is caused by defects and stresses accumulated during the direct transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equation of state of KCl and KBr, compressed in a helium pressure medium in a diamond-anvil cell, has been measured by x-ray diffraction in the Bl and B2 phases up to 165 GPaat 298 K. The P-V-T of B2 KCl and B2 KBr has been calculated by ab initio molecular dynamics in a wide compression range and up to 7000 K. The thermal pressure exhibits a linear behavior with temperature and remains low under high compression. The experimental P-V points and the thermal pressure calculated by molecular dynamics have been used to set up a high-pressure-high-temperature equation of state of B2 KCl and B2 KBr. With these equations of state, B2 KCl and B2 KBr can be used as pressure markers in laser-heated diamond-anvil-cell experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural stability of fcc Ni over a very large pressure range offers a unique opportunity to experimentally investigate how magnetism is modified by simple compression. K-edge x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) shows that fcc Ni is ferromagnetic up to 200 GPa, contradicting recent predictions of an abrupt transition to a paramagnetic state at 160 GPa. Density functional theory calculations point out that the pressure evolution of the K-edge XMCD closely follows that of the p projected orbital moment rather than that of the total spin moment. The disappearance of magnetism in Ni is predicted to occur above 400 GPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic and structural properties of cobalt were investigated under high pressure (160 GPa) and low temperature (50 K), by synchrotron K-edge x-ray magnetic circular dichroism and x-ray diffraction. A quasihydrostatic equation of state was measured up to 160 GPa. We found that uniaxial stress plays a role in the hexagonal close packed-face centered cubic (hcp-fcc) structural transition pressure. Also, our data provide the first experimental evidence that changes of the c/a ratio pressure derivative are related to the magnetic behavior. The complete extinction of ferromagnetism is observed above 130 GPa in a mixed hcp-fcc phase with no recovery upon cooling to 50 K, indicating that cobalt at 150 GPa is very likely nonmagnetic, i.e., characterized by zero local spin polarization. Density functional theory calculations point out that the K-edge x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) signal is related to the 4p orbital moment rather than to the total spin moment and allow us to get a deeper insight into the K-edge XMCD measurements interpretation. The combination of novel theoretical results and experimental outputs provides a detailed scenario of the structural and magnetic properties of cobalt at these extreme conditions answering some previously unsolved issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing urbanization process is accompanied by the emergence of new habitats for wildlife, and cities are sometimes seen as refuges for pollinators such as wild bees compared to intensively cultivated rural habitats. However, the contrasting living conditions that combine high fragmentation, exposure to pollutants, and heat island effects, with low pesticide use and potentially high availability of resources, make it difficult to predict the overall effect of urban living on the health of wild bees. Moreover, if the responses of wild bee populations in terms of species richness and diversity have been the focus of many recent studies, individual responses to urbanization have been more rarely investigated. More specifically, data on the impacts on individual bee physiology and health are lacking. To help fill this gap, we collected red-tailed bumblebee ( Bombus lapidarius ) workers along a gradient of urbanization defined by the level of soil imperviousness, and estimated environmental (air quality) and ecological (pathogens' prevalence and loads; local competition) pressures they locally experienced. In parallel, we quantified the expression of selected immune marker genes. We measured how the immune system of bumblebees responds to urbanization gradient and which local parameters best explain the observed changes in immune gene expression. We evidenced three immune markers, tightly linked with cellular metabolism, whose expressions increase with the level of urbanization, independently of individual infection and pollution exposure. We suggest that induction of their expression reveals a shift in wild bee immunometabolism, supposedly in response to the stressful conditions experienced in areas with high built-up cover. The induction of these genes is likely at the root of any immune activation; they could thus be used as markers to estimate the levels of urban stress locally experienced by pollinators., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Water can be dynamically over-compressed well into the stability field of ice VII. Whether water then transforms into ice VII, vitreous ice or a metastable novel crystalline phase remained uncertain. We report here the freezing of over-compressed water to ice VII by time-resolved X-ray diffraction. Quasi-isothermal dynamic compression paths are achieved using a dynamic-piezo-Diamond-Anvil-Cell, with programmable pressure rise time from 0.1 ms to 100 ms. By combining the present data set with those obtained on various ns-dynamical platforms, a complete evolution of the solidification pressure of metastable water versus the compression rate is rationalized within the classical nucleation theory framework. Also, when crystallization into ice VII occurs in between 1.6 GPa and 2.0 GPa, that is in the stability field of ice VI, a structural evolution over few ms is then observed into a mixture of ice VI and ice VII that seems to resolve apparent contradictions between previous results., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Before commercialization of a medical device, it is important to evaluate its usability. Traditional methods such as user testing to evaluate usability of medical device encountered difficulties to put participants in simulation conditions that are sufficiently realistic to be representative of real life. Virtual reality can be used to immerse participants in a high-fidelity simulation at a lower cost, but is not widely used today. This feasibility study aims to compare the results obtained between user tests in a real simulated environment and in a virtual reality environment, with feedback on the advantages and disadvantages of both conditions.

Assessing environmental exposure to pollution is a challenging task, and scientists often use distance-based or proximity indicators when field or modeled data are unavailable. Although buffers are commonly used to represent the impact of a pollution source on neighboring populations, they can result in high-exposure misclassification. Euclidean distance-based indicators offer a promising alternative, but practices vary significantly in the literature. In this study, we aimed to compare several distance-based indicators for multiple environmental contaminants in an industrial and urban area. At the population's grid cell resolution of 200 × 200 m, we compared the distance to the closest source, the average or median distance to all sources, or a restricted number of nearby sources for six types of sources (industries, railways, rail areas, roadways, road crossings, and agricultural patches) against environmental contamination data (PM 10 , NO 2 , and multimetallic contamination in lichens). Our findings revealed that the representativeness of contamination by indicators is significantly affected by the type and number of nearby sources considered. Specifically, we found that considering the distance to the nearest source or the average distance to all sources can lead to exposure misclassifications. The optimal correlation between distance indicators and pollutant levels was observed when considering 10-14 of the closest industrial sources, located within a 4.9- to 5.5-km radius. For rail areas, the optimal number was two to three sources within a 5.4- to 7.4-km radius. For main roads, intersections, and railways, the optimal number of sources varied depending on the pollutant, generally falling within a 3- to 9.4-km radius. Environmental contamination is influenced by the diversity of nearby sources, and considering only one source increases the risk of misclassification. Our results suggest that proximity models are still appropriate for study areas where the etiology of existing health effects is unclear, providing an exploratory analysis before more sophisticated research., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Little is known about the effect of combined exposure to different air pollutants on mortality in dialysis patients. This study aimed to investigate the association of multiple exposures to air pollutants with all-cause and cause-specific death in dialysis patients., Materials and Methods: This registry-based nationwide cohort study included 90,373 adult kidney failure patients initiating maintenance dialysis between 2012 and 2020 identified from the French REIN registry. Estimated mean annual municipality levels of PM 2.5 , PM 10 , and NO 2 between 2009 and 2020 were combined in different composite air pollution scores to estimate each participant's exposure at the residential place one to 3 years before dialysis initiation. Adjusted cause-specific Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) per interquartile range (IQR) greater air pollution score. Effect measure modification was assessed for age, sex, dialysis care model, and baseline comorbidities., Results: Higher levels of the main air pollution score were associated with a greater rate of all-cause deaths (HR, 1.082 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.057-1.104] per IQR increase), regardless of the exposure lag. This association was also confirmed in cause-specific analyses, most markedly for infectious mortality (HR, 1.686 [95% CI, 1.470-1.933]). Sensitivity analyses with alternative composite air pollution scores showed consistent findings. Subgroup analyses revealed a significantly stronger association among women and fewer comorbid patients., Discussion: Long-term multiple air pollutant exposure is associated with all-cause and cause-specific mortality among patients receiving maintenance dialysis, suggesting that air pollution may be a significant contributor to the increasing trend of CKD-attributable mortality worldwide., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Hamroun, Génin, Glowacki, Sautenet, Leffondré, De Courrèges, Dauchet, Gauthier, Bayer, Lassalle, Couchoud, Amouyel and Occelli.)

Emerging pollutants derived from human and animal sources, are present in soils and pose significant environmental and health impacts, even at low concentrations. Their detection in soil is analytically complex due to soil interference and the rapid degradation of compounds in the matrix. In this study, a protocol was optimized for quantifying hormonal steroids ( n = 7), human drugs ( n = 3), and antibiotics ( n = 3) by a dual-phase extraction using QuEChERS and Solid Phase Extraction (SPE), followed by analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The double extraction phase allows an accurate and effective purification of the target compounds while eliminating the interference in the soil matrix. The method is optimized to detect environmental concentrations of these pollutants, to suit large-scale sampling campaigns and to maintain the efficiency of extraction while reducing analysis time. The limits of detection (LODs) of these compounds ranged between 0.0043 and 0.13 ng/g and recovery rates between 75.9 % and 105.39 %.•Enhanced Analyte Purification: Implements QuEChERS and SPE for robust removal of matrix interferences, optimizing target compound isolation.•Precision at Trace Levels: Secures LODs as minimal as 0.0043 ng/g, enabling accurate detection of low-concentration contaminants.•Adapted for Broad-scale sampling: Modifies extraction and analysis durations to accommodate large-scale environmental assessments., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Ozone exacerbates allergy symptoms to certain pollens. The molecular mechanisms by which ozone affects pollen grains (PGs) and allergies are not fully understood, especially as the effects of pollutants may vary depending on the type of pollen. In this work, pollens of 22 different taxa were exposed under laboratory conditions to ozone (100 ppb) to quantify the ozone uptake by the PGs. The ozone uptake was highly variable among the 22 taxa tested. The highest ozone uptake per PG was measured on Acer negundo PGs (2.5 ± 0.2 pg∙PG -1 ). On average, tree pollens captured significantly more ozone than herbaceous pollens (average values of 0.5 and 0.02 pg∙PG -1 , respectively). No single parameter (such as the number of apertures, pollen season, pollen size, or lipid fraction) could predict a pollen's ability to take up ozone. Lipids seem to act as a barrier to ozone uptake and play a protective role for some taxa. After inhalation of PGs, pollen-transported ozone could be transferred to mucous membranes and exacerbate symptoms through oxidative stress and local inflammation. Although the amount of ozone transported is small in absolute terms, it is significant compared to the antioxidant capacity of nasal mucus at a microscale. This mechanism of pollen-induced oxidative stress could explain the aggravation of allergic symptoms during ozone pollution episodes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Nicolas Visez reports financial support was provided by Programme d’Investissement d’Avenir ANR-11-LABX-005-01. Mona Hamze reports financial support was provided by French Environment and Energy Management Agency. Mona Hamze reports financial support was provided by Région Hauts de France., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Seismology finds that Earth's solid inner core behaves anisotropically. Interpretation of this requires a knowledge of crystalline elastic anisotropy of its constituents-the major phase being most likely ε-Fe, stable only under high pressure. Here, single crystals of this phase are synthesized, and its full elasticity tensor is measured between 15 and 33 GPa at 300 K. It is calculated under the same conditions, using the combination of density functional theory and dynamical mean field theory, which describes explicitly electronic correlation effects. The predictive power of this scheme is checked by comparison with measurements; it is then used to evaluate the crystalline anisotropy in ε-Fe under higher density. This anisotropy remains of the same amplitude up to densities typical of Earth's inner core.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death and disabilities worldwide, with coronary heart diseases being the most frequently diagnosed. Their multifactorial etiology involves individual, behavioral and territorial determinants, and thus requires the implementation of multidimensional approaches to assess links between territorial characteristics and the incidence of coronary heart diseases., Context and Objectives: This study was carried out in a densely populated area located in the north of France with multiple sources of pollutants. The aim of this research was therefore to establish complex territorial profiles that have been characterized by the standardized incidence, thereby identifying the influences of determinants that can be related to a beneficial or a deleterious effect on cardiovascular health., Methods: Forty-four variables related to economic, social, health, environment and services dimensions with an established or suspected impact on cardiovascular health were used to describe the multidimensional characteristics involved in cardiovascular health., Results: Three complex territorial profiles have been highlighted and characterized by the standardized incidence rate (SIR) of coronary heart diseases after adjustment for age and gender. Profile 1 was characterized by an SIR of 0.895 (sd: 0.143) and a higher number of determinants that revealed favorable territorial conditions. Profiles 2 and 3 were characterized by SIRs of respectively 1.225 (sd: 0.242) and 1.119 (sd: 0.273). Territorial characteristics among these profiles of over-incidence were nevertheless dissimilar. Profile 2 revealed higher deprivation, lower vegetation and lower atmospheric pollution, while profile 3 displayed a rather privileged population with contrasted territorial conditions., Conclusion: This methodology permitted the characterization of the multidimensional determinants involved in cardiovascular health, whether they have a negative or a positive impact, and could provide stakeholders with a diagnostic tool to implement contextualized public health policies to prevent coronary heart diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships which have, or could be perceived to have, influenced the work reported in this article., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

How are nuclear quantum fluctuations affecting the properties of dense hydrogen approaching metallization? We report here Raman spectroscopy and synchrotron infrared absorption measurements on deuterium up to 460 GPa at 80 K. By comparing to a previous similar study on hydrogen, isotopic effects on the electronic and vibrational properties in phase III are disclosed. Also, evidence of a probable transition to metal deuterium is observed, shifted by about 35 GPa compared to that in hydrogen. Advanced calculations, quantifying a reduction of the band gap caused by nuclear quantum fluctuations, are compared to the present data.

People are increasingly exposed to environmental noise through the cumulation of occupational and recreational activities, which is considered harmless to the auditory system, if the sound intensity remains <80 dB. However, recent evidence of noise-induced peripheral synaptic damage and central reorganizations in the auditory cortex, despite normal audiometry results, has cast doubt on the innocuousness of lifetime exposure to environmental noise. We addressed this issue by exposing adult rats to realistic and nontraumatic environmental noise, within the daily permissible noise exposure limit for humans (80 dB sound pressure level, 8 h/day) for between 3 and 18 months. We found that temporary hearing loss could be detected after 6 months of daily exposure, without leading to permanent hearing loss or to missing synaptic ribbons in cochlear hair cells. The degraded temporal representation of sounds in the auditory cortex after 18 months of exposure was very different from the effects observed after only 3 months of exposure, suggesting that modifications to the neural code continue throughout a lifetime of exposure to noise., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Results of the 2018 commissioning and experimental campaigns of the new High Power Laser Facility on the Energy-dispersive X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (ED-XAS) beamline ID24 at the ESRF are presented. The front-end of the future laser, delivering 15 J in 10 ns, was interfaced to the beamline. Laser-driven dynamic compression experiments were performed on iron oxides, iron alloys and bismuth probed by online time-resolved XAS., (open access.)

The integration of multidimensional data is necessary to improve the understanding of environmental and social inequalities in health. The challenge is to define a dataset that provides the most holistic description possible of the territory. This article presents a relevant dataset to characterize the territorial accumulation of health determinants in the second most densely populated region of metropolitan France (Hauts-de-France Region, in the north of France). The multidimensional dataset combines data related to the economic, social, environment, services, health and policy dimensions at fine scale ( i.e. , each municipality). Data outlining a negative impact on health inequalities (e.g. anthropogenic pressures, socioeconomics factors related to vulnerability, etc. ) are considered to be as important as data outlining a positive impact on health inequalities ( e.g. natural resources, diversity and economic drive, etc. ). The proposed theoretical framework relies on data reuse. Over one hundred variables covering a time frame from 2008 to 2017 were collected from a dozen public and national database providers. The use of official organizations ensured the quality of the collected data. The Geographic Information System, designed to map and catalogue ready-to-use data, was used to generate new data or to deal with missing data. Finally, 50 variables, including mostly quantitative but also qualitative data, were selected after application of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The resulting dataset provides a broad characterisation of the 3,817 municipalities in the Hauts-de-France Region. These data will help to discriminate the distribution pattern of vulnerability and resilience levels in this region. This novel approach is described in the paper "How can we analyse environmental health resilience and vulnerability? A joint analysis with composite indices applied to the north of France", which provides a detailed description of the methodology used to develop composite indices. This research could therefore be of use to researchers, policy makers and stakeholders in the field of environmental health seeking to identify the weaknesses but also the strengths of municipalities., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships which have, or could be perceived to have, influenced the work reported in this article., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Although walkability is known to be associated with obesity and hypertension through increased physical activity; data on cardiovascular risk factors (especially in the Europe) are scarce. We assessed the relationship between neighbourhood walkability and cardiometabolic factors (including obesity, hypertension, the blood lipid profile, and serum glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels) among adults living in northern France., Methods: Data were extracted from the ELISABET study database (2011-2013). The participants (aged between 40 and 65) resided in or around the cities of Lille and Dunkirk. For each residential address, we determined a neighbourhood walkability index (using a geographic information system) and the Walk Score®. Multilevel linear and logistic models were used to assess the relationships between neighbourhood walkability on one hand and body mass index (BMI), obesity, blood pressure, hypertension, serum HDLC, LDL-C, triglyceride and HbA1c levels, and physical activity level on the other., Results: 3218 participants were included. After adjusting for individual and neighbourhood variables, we found that a higher neighbourhood walkability index was associated with a lower BMI (-0.23 kg.m -2 ; 95% confidence interval (CI) [-0.44;-0.01] for a one interquartile range (IQR) increment), a lower systolic blood pressure (-1.66 mmHg; 95% CI [-2.46;-0.85] per IQR), a lower prevalence of hypertension (% of increase: -7.12, 95% CI [-13.56;-0.52] per IQR), and a higher prevalence of moderate or high physical activity (% of increase = 6.9; 95% CI [1.2;12.72] per IQR). The walkability index was not significantly associated with other cardiovascular risk factors. Similar results were observed for the Walk Score®., Conclusion: Our results showed that residence in a more walkable neighbourhood was associated with a lower prevalence of vascular risk factors. Promoting neighbourhood walkability might help to improve the population's cardiovascular health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Luc Dauchet contributed to an expert report commissioned by Lille European metropole “Rapport d’expertise à propos de la localisation de la piscine du projet d’aménagement de la gare Saint Sauveur à Lille” [Expert report on the location of the swimming pool in the Saint Sauveur station development project in Lille] but did not receive any personal fees. The other authors declare that they have no competing interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In environmental health, vulnerability reflecting the cumulative harmful constraints and nuisances to which populations are subjected and resilience defined as the capacity of a territory to cope with health inequalities have been little extensively investigated together with the same importance. Besides the diversity of factors involved, there is no consensual framework to develop composite indices, one recognized methodology to deal with a multifaceted issue. Therefore, this research aims to establish a new transferable approach to assess the spatial heterogeneity of territorial inequalities. This new strategy relies on the simultaneous evaluation of resilience and vulnerability and the joint analysis based on the cross-interpretation of the spatialized composite indices of resilience and vulnerability. A case study was conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of this methodology, using the municipality as a spatial unit of analysis within a region in the north of France. To provide the most holistic description possible of the 3817 studied municipalities, 50 variables related to the economic, environment, policy, health, services and social dimensions were used to develop the composite indices. The vulnerability Index has a median value of 0.151 with an IQR of [0.126-0.180] and the Resilience Index has a median value of 0.341 with an IQR of [0.273-0.401]. The joint analysis was conducted to classify each municipality among four defined typologies: 1687 municipalities (44.2%) belong to the "To monitor" category, 1646 (43.1%) to the "Resilient" category, 329 (8.6%) to the "Have resources" category and 155 (4.1%) to the "Territorial blackspot" category. The methodology herein may be a diagnostic tool to identify and prioritize municipalities that could benefit from the implementation of specifically tailored public health policies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)