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There are time-tested assessments for the environmental and economic aspects of sustainability. Its societal aspect has mainly been approached through the assessment of animal welfare. However, the intrinsic quality of milk is seldom taken into account. We developed a participatory construction method for the overall assessment of intrinsic milk quality in its different dimensions (sensory, technological, nutritional and health), according to the fate of the raw milk. Two assessment models were developed, for semi-skimmed standardized ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk and for pressed uncooked non-standardized raw milk cheese. They were constructed by a participatory approach involving experts in the dairy sector with the aim to obtain a diagnostic tool that could be used in the field to help farmers to manage the quality of their milk (by prioritizing improvements on major problems). They were shaped from prerequisite specifications (limited costs and time of application, desire to obtain a transparent tool with all the steps kept visible) and current technical and scientific knowledge. They were based on indicators obtained from raw bulk tank milk analyses (30 for UHT milk and 50 for cheese assessments), which were then aggregated into criteria, principles, dimensions and overall intrinsic quality at farm level. The assessment models had parts in common, for example, same four dimensions, common indicators for health and nutritional dimensions. They also had process-specific features: units chosen, criteria, indicators and weightings in relation to the final product specifications. For instance, sensory and technological dimensions are more complex and preponderant in the cheese assessment (three principles for cheese vs one for UHT milk in both dimensions). Another example is the lack of microbial pathogens (as potential health risk for consumer) in the UHT milk assessment because of pasteurization. The assessment models then underwent a sensitivity analysis and an application in 30 farms in indoor and grazing periods to finally obtain overall UHT milk and cheese quality scores at a 1-year level. The tool was found to be applicable at farm level. However, we observed low overall quality scores with a narrow dispersion, characteristic of a severe evaluation. Even so, the assessment models showed up seasonal differences of the UHT milk and cheese quality at both overall and dimensional levels. In the light of new scientific knowledge and future quality objectives, these are adaptable to other dairy products allowing for their specific features.

Efficient energy transport by laser-driven relativistic electron beams is crucial in many applications including inertial confinement fusion, and particle acceleration. Here the authors demonstrate relativistic electron beam guiding in dense plasma with an externally imposed high magnetic field.

Characteristics of ripened cheeses depend on a great number of factors linked both to cheese-making technology and to chemical and microbiological composition of raw milk. These characteristics themselves depend on genetic factors (dairy species, breed, genetic variants), health status and physiological stage, and also dietary factors (type of diet, grass preservation method, grass botanical composition) (Coulon et al. (2004).

Les relations entre les conditions de production du lait et les teneurs en composés d’intérêt nutritionnel de fromages fermiers au lait de vache ou de chèvre ont été étudiées en conditions réelles de production au sein de 4 filières fromagères (Abondance, Tomme de Savoie, Salers/Cantal et Rocamadour). Au total, 432 fromages, dont 306 au lait de vache et 126 au lait de chèvre, produits tout au long de l’année par 74 producteurs fermiers ont été analysés. Dans un premier temps, les effets respectifs des conditions de production du lait et de la transformation fromagère sur la variabilité de composition du fromage ont été quantifiés. Dans un second temps, les relations entre la composition du fromage et les conditions de production du lait, préalablement identifiées au moyen d’enquêtes, ont été étudiées. Le fromage fermier se caractérise par une grande variabilité de composition qui dépend majoritairement de la transformation fromagère pour la vitamine B9 et les minéraux et des conditions de production du lait pour les acides gras (AG), les vitamines A et E et les caroténoïdes. L’espèce animale explique une grande partie de la variabilité en certains AG et en β-carotène dans le fromage. Les teneurs en micronutriments liposolubles et le potentiel antioxydant du fromage dépendent principalement de la nature de la ration fourragère (pâturage vs fourrages conservés) quelle que soit l’espèce animale. Les rations à base de pâturage sont associées à des teneurs en caroténoïdes et en vitamines A et E et à un potentiel antioxydant dans le fromage plus importants. En revanche, les facteurs de variation du profil en AG du fromage ont différé dans cette étude entre les vaches et les chèvres. Pour les fromages au lait de vache, il dépend principalement de la nature de la ration fourragère (pâturage vs fourrages conservés). Les fromages associés au pâturage sont plus riches en AG saturés et insaturés à longue chaîne (≥ C18) et plus pauvres en AG saturés à courte et moyenne chaîne (C6:0 à C16:0). Le profil en AG du fromage au lait de chèvre dépend principalement de la proportion de matières grasses apportées par les concentrés dans la ration, du stade de lactation des animaux et dans une moindre mesure de la présence ou non de lin dans les concentrés. Ce fromage est plus riche en AG à longue chaîne et plus pauvre en AG saturés à courte et moyenne chaîne lorsque la proportion de matières grasses apportées par les concentrés est plus importante, les concentrés contiennent du lin et les animaux sont en début de lactation. En conclusion, ce travail a permis de collecter des données représentatives et détaillées sur les caractéristiques nutritionnelles de différentes variétés fromagères et de hiérarchiser les effets des principaux facteurs de production responsables de la variabilité de composition du fromage.

We studied D + D fusion reactions at the CELIA/ECLIPSE laser facility. These reactions were triggered by focusing the ECLIPSE laser (up to 100 mJ on target, pulse duration of 40 fs and focal spot of FWHM) on a solid C2D4 target. By detecting the 2.5 MeV neutrons, produced in the D + D fusion reaction, using C6D6 scintillators in a time-of-flight experimental set-up, we measured a rate of a few hundred fusions per shot. At the same time, we detected also energetic ions (up to a few 100 keV) using time-of-flight diamond detectors. The experimental set-up will be presented and the results discussed and compared with dedicated simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is twofold: first, we demonstrate shock generation with ultra-short (24 fs) and low-energy (J) laser pulse, following the energy deposition in the target by fast electrons; second, we show that such shocks can be used to provide information on compressed matter. For a target with thickness we have clearly inferred the formation of a shock wave with pressure . We have also measured the color temperature of the emitting target rear side at breakout time , which is in good agreement with predictions from equation-of-state models (SESAME tables) and hydrodynamic simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasi-static magnetic-fields up to 800 T are generated in the interaction of intense laser pulses (500 J, 1 ns, ) with capacitor-coil targets of different materials. The reproducible magnetic-field peak and rise-time, consistent with the laser pulse duration, were accurately inferred from measurements with GHz-bandwidth inductor pickup coils (B-dot probes). Results from Faraday rotation of polarized optical laser light and deflectometry of energetic proton beams are consistent with the B-dot probe measurements at the early stages of the target charging, up to ns, and then are disturbed by radiation and plasma effects. The field has a dipole-like distribution over a characteristic volume of 1 mm3, which is consistent with theoretical expectations. These results demonstrate a very efficient conversion of the laser energy into magnetic fields, thus establishing a robust laser-driven platform for reproducible, well characterized, generation of quasi-static magnetic fields at the kT-level, as well as for magnetization and accurate probing of high-energy-density samples driven by secondary powerful laser or particle beams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We experimentally investigate the fast ( $\lt 1\,\mathrm{ps}$ ) isochoric heating of multi-layer metallic foils and subsequent high-pressure hydrodynamics induced by energetic electrons driven by high-intensity, high-contrast laser pulses. The early-time temperature profile inside the target is measured from the streaked optical pyrometry of the target rear side. This is further characterized from benchmarked simulations of the laser-target interaction and the fast electron transport. Despite a modest laser energy ( $\lt 1\,{\rm{J}}$ ), the early-time high pressures and associated gradients launch inwards a strong compression wave developing over $\gtrsim 10\,$ ps into a $\approx 140\,\mathrm{Mbar}$ blast wave, according to hydrodynamic simulations, consistent with our measurements. These experimental and numerical findings pave the way to a short-pulse-laser-based platform dedicated to high-energy-density physics studies.

Experimental measurements of the fast electron beam created by the interaction of relativistically intense, frequency-doubled laser light with planar solid targets and its subsequent transport within the target are presented and compared with those of a similar experiment using the laser fundamental frequency. Using frequency-doubled laser light, the fast electron source size is significantly reduced, while evidence suggests the divergence angle may be reduced. Pyrometric measurements of the target rear surface temperature and the Cu K _α imager data indicate the laser to fast electron absorption fraction is reduced using frequency doubled laser light. Bremsstrahlung measurements indicate the fast electron temperature is 125 keV, while the laser energy absorbed into forward-going fast electrons was found to be 16 ± 4% for frequency doubled light at a mean laser intensity of 5 ± 3 × 10 ^18 W cm ^−2 .