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This article presents an ethnographic study conducted in French pre‐kindergarten and kindergarten classrooms, investigating how education establishes and reinforces relations of sociocultural dominance. Building on Bourdieu and Passeron's concept of symbolic violence, we seek to uncover the mechanisms through which school socialization encourages the acceptance of the hierarchies it generates. The data suggest that this persuasion relies on set of interrelated processes: Schools organize the unequal profitability of family cultural practices and knowledge, obscure the realities of learning, and foster a meritocratic myth that naturalizes these inequalities. Moreover, children actively participate in their own subordination without realizing it. By documenting these processes, the study provides critical insights into how everyday schooling practices not only perpetuate social inequalities but also shape early on the idea that students form of themselves as both students and individuals and intensify concerns about self‐worth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation is a key component to the success and longevity of companies. Our research opens the "black box" of creativity and innovation in R&D teams. We argue that understanding the nature of R&D projects in terms of creativity/innovation, efficiency/inefficiency, is important for designing education policies and improving engineering curriculum. Our research addresses the inventive design process, a lesser known aspect of the innovation process, in 197 R&D departments of industrial sector companies in France. One fundamental issue facing companies is to evaluate processes and results of innovation. Results show that the evaluation of innovation is confined by a lack of methodology of inventive projects. We will be establishing the foundations of a formal ontology for inventive design projects and finally some recommendations for engineering education.

Background: In 2017, a new treatment by nusinersen, an antisense oligonucleotide delivered by repeated intrathecal injections, became available for patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), whereas clinical trials had mainly involved children. Since 2020, the oral, selective SMN2-splicing modifier risdiplam has been available with restrictions evolving with time. In this peculiar context of lack of data regarding adult patients, many questions were raised to define the indications of treatment and the appropriate follow-up in this population. To homogenize access to treatment in France, a national multidisciplinary team meeting dedicated to adult SMA patients, named SMA multidisciplinary team meeting, (SMDTs) was created in 2018. Our objective was to analyze the value of SMDTs in the decision-making process in SMA adult patients and to provide guidelines about treatment. Methods: From October 2020 to September 2021, data extracted from the SMDT reports were collected. The primary outcome was the percentage of cases in which recommendations on validating treatment plans were given. The secondary outcomes were type of treatment requested, description of expectations regarding treatment and description of recommendations or follow-up and discontinuation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Comparisons between the type of treatment requested were performed using Mann–Whitney test or the Student t test for quantitative data and the Fisher's exact test or the χ2 test for qualitative data. Results: Cases of 107 patients were discussed at the SMDTs with a mean age of 35.3 (16–62). Forty-seven were SMA type 2, and 57 SMA type 3. Twelve cases were presented twice. Out of 122 presentations to the SMDTs, most of requests related to the initiation of a treatment (nusinersen (n = 46), risdiplam (n = 54), treatment without mentioning preferred choice (n = 5)) or a switch of treatment (n = 12). Risdiplam requests concerned significantly older patients (p = 0.002), mostly SMA type 2 (p < 0.0001), with greater disease severity in terms of motor and respiratory function compared to requests for nusinersen. In the year prior to presentation to the SMDTs, most of the patients experienced worsening of motor weakness assessed by functional tests as MFM32 or other meaningful scales for the most severe patients. Only 12% of the patients discussed had a stable condition. Only 49/122 patients (40.1%) expressed clear expectations regarding treatment. The treatment requested was approved by the SMDTs in 72 patients (67.2%). The most common reasons to decline treatment were lack of objective data on the disease course prior discussion to the SMDTs or inappropriate patient's expectations. Treatment requests were more likely to be validated by the SMDTs if sufficient pre-therapeutic functional assessment had been performed to assess the natural history (55% vs. 32%) and if the patient had worsening rather than stable motor function (p = 0.029). In patients with approved treatment, a-priori criteria to define a further ineffectiveness of treatment (usually after 14 months of treatment) were proposed for 67/72 patients. Conclusions: In the context of costly treatments with few controlled studies in adults with SMA, in whom assessment of efficacy can be complex, SMDTs are 'real-world observatories' of great interest to establish national recommendations about indications of treatment and follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to examine physiological responses of firefighters performing a firefighting simulation test (FST) and to determine the relationship between physical fitness parameters and FST performance. Aerobic fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and anaerobic capabilities were evaluated in 37 firefighters (21-profesionals and 16-volunteers firefighters). Furthermore, participants carried out the FST during which we measured performance, respiratory gas exchange, heart rate (HR), perceived exertion and blood lactate concentrations. Males were significantly faster than females for all tasks of the FST (p < 0.01); however, final performance score (16.5 ± 2.9 and 14.5 ± 2.6 points for males and females, respectively), HR (94.0 ± 2.0% and 93.7 ± 2.3% of HRmax) and perceived exertion (8.1 ± 0.9 and 7.1 ± 1.3) were not significantly different. Prediction of FST performance by LASSO regression revealed a model that included mainly aerobic capacity and maximal strength. In conclusion, FST challenged both aerobic and anaerobic energy metabolisms for both males and females and requires various physiological abilities to perform. Practitioner Summary: For the safety of firefighters and victims, firefighters must meet minimum physical requirements. 37 firefighters performed physical tests and a new firefighting test implemented for the recruitment of firefighters in France. The results revealed that this test is strenuous and that performance is associated with cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength. Abbreviations: V̇O2: oxygen consumption; V̇CO2: carbon dioxyde production; V̇E: expired ventilation; RER: respiratory exchange ratio; FST: firefighting simulation test; MAS: maximal aerobic speed; HR: heart rate; RPE: rating of perceived exertion; MVC: maximum voluntary contraction; IMTP: isometric mid-thigh pull; TTE: time to exhaustion; Ppeak: peak power; Pmean: mean power; LASSO: least absolute shrinkage and selection operator; La-: blood lactate concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperation between disseminated actors is a key factor in improving new product development (NPD) performance. In the last years, numerous CSCW software applications have been introduced in the industry to support NPD with a low success rate. This is partly due to the limited insight of the organisational and human factors influencing user motivation during the first stages of CSCW software implementation. This research suggests that users adopt more rapidly those features of CSCW software with whom they are more familiar and that the adoption of other features of the application is reinforced by the various links connecting them with the preferred feature. We propose a CSCW integration protocol called the "catching module mechanism" (CAMM) which exploits user's inclination towards a particular feature of a CSCW application by training them on that same feature. The CAMM was tested in the NPD context of Saint-Gobain Glass. (Contains 1 table and 4 figures.)

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is the most prevalent symptom among people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Although exercise effectively reduces fatigue, the relationship between daily physical activity and fatigue has only recently been demonstrated. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of fatigue and to understand the relationship with several variables in French PwMS. METHODS: Data were collected from 191 PwMS using Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) for fatigue, and the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) for physical activity. RESULTS: 110 PwMS (57%), 35 PwMS (18%) and 46 PwMS (24%) were considered as fatigued, non-fatigued and in the grey zone, respectively. Greater physical activity was observed in non-fatigued PwMS (20.2±19.8) compared to fatigued PwMS (12.5±14.1). FSS and MFIS scores were associated with physical activity (r = –0.28 and r = –0.25, respectively, p < 0.05). Using multivariate analysis, disability, physical activity and being unemployed explained 21% of the variance of the MFIS. CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirms that physical activity and fatigue are associated. Disability and unemployment status should also to be consider when assessing fatigue. Activity-oriented health policies should be redesigned to improve fatigue among PwMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lake ecosystems contribute significantly to atmospheric methane and are likely to become even bigger methane emitters with the global spread of hypoxia/anoxia in freshwater ecosystems. Here we characterized the spatial heterogeneity of methane production potential, methane concentration, archeal and bacterial communities across Lake Remoray sediment during the summer period when hypoxic conditions settle in the deepest part of the water column. It was hypothesized that methane concentration and production would be higher in the deeper part of the lake, our results showed that some littoral areas exhibited similar or higher values than the deepest area. The full 16S rRNA gene sequencing dataset counted 41 OTUs affiliated with methanogenic species in abundances that depended more on sampling‐site location than on the water depth gradient. The methanogenic co‐occurrence network revealed the existence of five distinct sub‐communities, suggesting the presence of different methanogenic niches across Lake Remoray. The variation in abundance of the two larger methanogenic sub‐communities was significantly related to methanogenesis potential and sediment methane concentration across‐lake but further studies investigating their real activities would provide additional insights. In a globally changing environment (temperature, eutrophication, ...) a better understanding of the functional specificities and characteristics of the potential of methane cycle actors would allow us to better predict their future implications for greenhouse gas production and mitigation. Plain Language Summary: Many lakes worldwide produce methane, a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 72 times higher than CO2. However, global estimations of methane emission from lake ecosystems would be improved by including spatially resolved datasets. Particularly to extend the knowledge about methane production both in the deeper areas of these ecosystems as well as in the shallower and littoral areas. In this study, we measured methane concentrations and production in sediment at different locations from one lake, located in France. Using a DNA approach, we also analyzed the microorganisms inhabiting sediment to detect species able to produce methane. We observed that sediments in littoral zones harbored distinct methanogen species and exhibited as high methane concentrations than in the deeper anoxic areas. This suggests that in the sediments of littoral zones methane production is also an active process carried out by distinct microbial actors. Key Points: Methane concentration and production potential in lake sediments were spatially heterogeneous and similar in littoral and profundal zonesSpatial patterns of methane concentration and production were associated with variations in nature and quality of sediment organic matterWeighted correlation network analysis revealed five distinct sediment methanogen communities spatially distributed across the lake [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beard, A, Ashby, J, Chambers, R, Millet, GP, and Brocherie, F. Wales Anaerobic Test (WAT): Reliability and fitness profiles of international rugby union players. J Strength Cond Res 36(9): 2589–2596, 2022—To provide strength and conditioning coaches a practical and evidence-based test for repeated-sprint ability (RSA) in rugby union players, this study assessed the relative and absolute test-retest reliability of the Wales Anaerobic Test (WAT) and its position-specific association with other fitness performance indices. Thirty-four players (forwards: n = 19; backs: n = 15) of the Welsh rugby union male senior national team performed the WAT (10 × 50-m distance, 25–30 seconds of passive recovery) twice within 4 days. Time for each repetition was recorded, with the best (WATBest) and total time (WATTT) retained for analysis. Relative (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]) and absolute (SEM) reliability of the WAT indices were quantified. Furthermore, association (Pearson's product-moment correlations and stepwise backward elimination procedure) with other fitness performance indices (10- and 40-m sprinting times, 30-15 intermittent fitness test [30-15IFT] and the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 2 [YYIR2]) was investigated. Pooled values revealed "moderate" to "high" ICCs for WATBest (ICC = 0.89, p = 0.626) and WATTT (ICC = 0.95, p = 0.342). Good test sensitivity was reported for forwards and backs' WATTT (p > 0.101). Both WATBest and WATTT correlated with 10-m and 40-m sprinting times (r > 0.69, p < 0.001) as well as with 30-15IFT (r < −0.77, p < 0.001) and YYIR2 (r < −0.68, p < 0.001) for pooled values. The WAT proved to be a reliable and sensitive test to assess the rugby union specific RSA-related fitness of international players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The access of obese patients to kidney transplantation is limited despite several studies showing that obese transplant recipients had a better survival rate than those undergoing dialysis. The aim of this study was to compare patient and graft survival rates and post-renal transplant complications in obese patients and non-obese patients and to assess the effect of pre-transplant weight loss in obese patients on transplant outcomes. Methods We carried out a prospective cohort study using two French registries, the Renal Epidemiology and Information Network and CRISTAL, on 7270 kidney transplant patients between 2008 and 2014 in France. We compared obese patients with non-obese patients and obese patients who lost more than 10% of weight before the transplant (obese WL and obese nWL). Results The mean BMI in our obese patients was 32 kg/m2. Graft survival was lower in obese patients than in non-obese patients {hazard ratio (HR) = 1.40, [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.09; 1.78], P = 0.007}, whereas patient survival was similar [HR = 0.94, (95% CI 0.73; 1.23), P = 0.66]. Graft survival was significantly lower in obese WL than in obese nWL [HR = 2.17, (1.02; 4.63), P = 0.045], whereas patient survival was similar in the two groups [HR = 0.79, (0.35; 1.77), P = 0.56]. Conclusion Grade 1 obesity does not seem to be a risk factor for excess mortality after kidney transplantation and should not be an obstacle to having access to a graft. Weight loss before a kidney transplant in these patients should not be essential for registration on waiting list. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetamiprid is a pesticide active substance with insecticidal action currently under the third renewal (AIR3) of the Commission implementing regulation (EU) No 844/2012. Following concerns that this substance may pose high risks to humans and the environment, the French authorities asked the Commission to restrict its uses under Article 69 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. To support this request, competent Authorities from France cited a series of literature papers investigating its hazards and/or exposure to humans and the environment. Consequently, the EFSA PPR Panel was mandated to advise on the likelihood that body of evidence would constitute proof of serious risks to humans or the environment. Therefore, the EFSA PPR Panel evaluated the likelihood of these studies indicating new or higher hazards and exposure to humans and the environment compared to previous EU assessments.A stepwise methodology was designed, including: (i) the initial screening; (ii) the data extraction and critical appraisal based on the principles of OHAT/NTP; (iii) the weight of evidence, including consideration of the previous EU assessments; (iv) the uncertainty analysis, followed, whenever relevant, by an expert knowledge elicitation process. For human health, no conclusive evidence of higher hazards compared to previous assessment was found for genotoxicity, developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity including developmental neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity. However, due to the lack of adequate assessment of the current data set, the PPR Panel recommends conducting an assessment of endocrine disrupting properties for acetamiprid in line with EFSA/ECHA guidance document for the identification of endocrine disruptors. For environment, no conclusive, robust evidence of higher hazards compared to the previous assessment was found for birds, aquatic organisms, bees and soil organisms. However, the potential of high inter‐species sensitivity of birds and bees towards acetamiprid requires further consideration. This publication is linked to the following EFSA Journal article: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7030/full [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flupyradifurone is a novel butenolide insecticide, first approved as an active substance for use in plant protection products by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2084. Following concerns that this substance may pose high risks to humans and the environment, the French authorities, in November 2020, asked the Commission to restrict its uses under Article 69 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. To support this request, competent Authorities from France cited a series of literature papers investigating its hazards and/or exposure to humans and the environment. In addition, in June 2020, the Dutch Authorities notified the Commission, under Article 56 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, of new information on flupyradifurone on the wild bee species Megachile rotundata. This notification is also referred to in the French notification on flupyradifurone. Consequently, the EFSA PPR Panel was mandated to quantify the likelihood of this body of evidence constituting proof of serious risks to humans or the environment. Therefore, the EFSA PPR Panel evaluated the likelihood of these studies indicating new or higher hazards and exposure to humans and the environment compared to previous EU assessments. A stepwise methodology was designed, including: (i) the initial screening; (ii) data extraction and critical appraisal based on the principles of OHAT/NTP; (iii) weight of evidence, including consideration of the previous EU assessments; (iv) uncertainty analysis, followed, whenever relevant, by an expert knowledge elicitation process. For the human health, only one study was considered relevant for the genotoxic potential of flupyradifurone in vitro. These data did not provide sufficient information to overrule the EU assessment, as in vivo studies already addressed the genotoxic potential of flupyradifurone. Environment: All available data investigated hazards in bee species. For honey bees, the likelihood of the new data indicating higher hazards than the previous EU assessment was considered low or moderate, with some uncertainties. However, among solitary bee species – which were not addressed in the previous EU assessment – there was evidence that Megachile rotundata may be disproportionately sensitive to flupyradifurone. This sensitivity, which may partially be explained by the low bodyweight of this species, was mechanistically linked to inadequate bodily metabolisation processes. This publication is linked to the following EFSA Journal article: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7031/full [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stocking and electrofishing occurrence and abundance data for northern pike Esoxlucius L. in >3800 km of French rivers across 7 years were compared to assess the effect of recreational fisheries stocking programmes on wild pike populations. A positive relationship was found between the additive effect of stocking and the size of the stocked pike. However, the stocking programmes implemented in France by recreational fishery managers from 2008 to 2013 increased the probability of pike occurring in the river network, without increasing abundance in well‐established pike populations, because pike stocked in their early‐life stages were used in most of the stocking programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although freshwater fish stocking is widely used by managers, quantitative assessments of stocking practices are lacking in many countries. The general objective of the present study was to determine the quantity and characteristics of fish stocking in metropolitan France. Using a survey‐based approach, stocking practices for 2013 by recreational angling clubs in France were quantified, which represented the bulk of fish stocking undertaken in that year. Stocking was found to be practiced by 88.6% of angling clubs in France, representing, on average, 65% of their annual budget. Overall, 22 species were stocked, including 13 native and nine non‐native species, with strong variations among species in terms of life stages and body sizes used for stocking. Using Bayesian modelling, a total biomass of 2.029 t, representing approximately 90 million fishes, was estimated to be stocked in France in 2013. In terms of biomass, the most widely stocked species were rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), brown trout Salmo trutta L., roach Rutilus rutilus (L.), common carp Cyprinus carpio L. and northern pike Esox lucius L. A stocking volume of approximately 60 fishes or 1.5 kg of fish biomass per angler per year seems commonplace in industrialised countries for which data are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Rating of Fatigue (ROF) scale can measure changes in perceived fatigue in a variety of contexts. Objective: The aim of the present study was to translate and subsequently validate the ROF scale in the French language. Methods: The study was composed of three phases. Phase 1 involved a comprehensive translation, back-translation, and consolidation process in order to produce the French ROF scale. During phase 2, the face validity of the French ROF scale was assessed. A cohort of 60 native French speaking participants responded to a range of Likert scale items which probed the purposes of the ROF scale and what it is intended to measure. During phase 3, the convergent and divergent validity of the ROF scale was assessed during ramped cycling to exhaustion and 10 min of resting recovery. Results: The results from phase 1 demonstrated comparability and interpretability between the original and back-translated ROF scale. In phase 2, participants reported a high face validity, with a score of 3.48 ± 0.70 out of 4 when given the item probing whether the scale "measures fatigue". This score further improved (3.67 ± 0.57, P = 0.01) after participants read the accompanying instructions. Participants were able to distinguish the purposes of the scale for measuring fatigue rather than exertion. In phase 3, strong correlations were found between ROF and heart rate (HR) both during exercise (r = 0.91, P < 0.01) and recovery (r = 0.92, P < 0.01), while discriminant validity between ROF and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was found during recovery. Conclusion: The present study permits the applications of the ROF scale in the French language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about the effect of under triage on early mortality in trauma in a pediatric population. Our objective is to describe the effect of under triage on 24-h mortality after major pediatric trauma in a regional trauma system. Methods: This cohort study was conducted from January 2009 to December 2017. Data were obtained from the registry of the Northern French Alps Trauma System. The network guidelines triage pediatric trauma patients according to an algorithm shared with adult patients. Under triage was defined by the number of pediatric trauma patients that required specialized trauma care transported to a non-level I pediatric trauma center on the total number of injured patients with critical resource use. The effect of under triage on 24-h mortality was assessed with inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) and a propensity score (Ps) matching analysis. Results: A total of 1143 pediatric patients were included (mean [SD], age 10 [5] years), mainly after a blunt trauma (1130 [99%]). Of the children, 402 (35%) had an ISS higher than 15 and 547 (48%) required specialized trauma care. Nineteen (1.7%) patients died within 24 h. Under triage rate was 33% based on the need of specialized trauma care. Under triage of children requiring specialized trauma care increased the risk of death in IPTW (risk difference 6.0 [95% CI 1.3–10.7]) and Ps matching analyses (risk difference 3.1 [95% CI 0.8–5.4]). Conclusions: In a regional inclusive trauma system, under triage increased the risk of early death after pediatric major trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticides have been associated with various pathologies, and there is growing evidence of pesticide presence in domestic environments. However, most available studies focused on a limited number of pesticides or households, and few have been conducted in Europe. We aimed to assess indoor pesticide contamination by screening the prevalence of 276 pesticides and ten pesticide metabolites, in French households from different agricultural and urban areas. We sampled indoor dust from 239 households in 2012, proximate to orchards (n = 69), cereals (n = 66) and vineyard (n = 68) crops, or from urban area (n = 36). we used cellulose wipes moistened with isopropanol and polypropylene dust traps to collect recent (7 and 30 days, respectively) and settled dust (> 6 months). Overall, 125 pesticides and piperonyl butoxide were detected at least once in households, mostly at low prevalence: 97 in recent dust, and 111 in settled dust. In recent dust, the most prevalent compounds were o-phenylphenol (168 households, 70%), pentachlorophenol (86, 36%), and piperonyl butoxide (82, 34%). In addition to agricultural pesticides, we found a high proportion of domestic and banned compounds in recent and settled house dust. Several pesticides were identified in house dust, from different pesticide groups and sources. Our results suggest that domestic usage and persistence of banned pesticides may contribute substantially to indoor pesticide contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of cancer pain, therapeutic patient education (TPE) allows patients to develop skills to better manage their pain. In the Lower Normandy region of France, the management of pain is based on networking, thus allowing proximity and accessibility for all concerned. We have thus designed and initiated a broad five-stage research program that includes the following: (1) training for caregivers in TPE; (2) identifying the educational expectations of patients and their relatives with regard to cancer pain; (3) the design of a TPE program; (4) the evaluation of its quality; and (5) the evaluation of its effectiveness by comparative randomization. This article presents this approach and more particularly the research phases (stages 2, 4, 5) for which the objectives, the methodology, and the expected results are justified. Among the key points, particular attention is paid to the evaluation of the educational dimension that provides patients with self-efficacy to participate actively in the management of their pain, their perception of changes in relation to it and its impact. The choice of a specific assessment criterion (subscale 9 of the Brief Pain Inventory) and of the step-wedge design are thus argued. This approach, which is based on a partnership between health care professionals and researchers, aims to demonstrate the benefits provided by TPE to patients in order to enable them to better manage their pain on a daily basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current concepts in conservative dentistry advocate minimally invasive dentistry and pulp vitality preservation. Moreover, complete removal of carious dentin in deep carious lesions often leads to pulp exposure and root canal treatment, despite the absence of irreversible pulp inflammation. For years, partial caries removal has been performed on primary teeth, but little evidence supports its effectiveness for permanent teeth. Furthermore, the recent development of new antibacterial adhesive systems could be interesting in the treatment of such lesions. The objectives of this study are to compare the effectiveness of partial versus complete carious dentin removal in deep lesions (primary objective) and the use of an antibacterial versus a traditional two-step self-etch adhesive system (main secondary objective).Methods/design: The DEep CAries Treatment (DECAT) study protocol is a multicenter, randomized, controlled superiority trial comparing partial versus complete caries removal followed by adhesive restoration. The minimum sample size required is 464 patients. Two successive randomizations will be performed (allocation ratio 1:1): the first for the type of excavation (partial versus complete) and the second (if no root canal treatment is required) for the type of adhesive (antibacterial versus traditional). For the two objectives, the outcome is the success of the treatment after 1 year, measured according to a composite outcome of five FDI criteria: material fracture and retention, marginal adaptation, radiographic examination (including apical pathologies), postoperative sensitivity and tooth vitality, and carious lesion recurrence.Discussion: The study will investigate the interest of a conservative approach for the management of deep carious lesions in terms of dentin excavation and bioactive adhesive systems. The results may help practitioners achieve the most efficient restorative procedure to maintain pulp vitality and increase the restoration longevity.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02286388 . Registered in November 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lakes play a key role in the regulation of the global carbon cycle. However, their functioning can be strongly impacted by anthropogenic pressures and climate variability. Understanding the response of the carbon cycle to environmental changes remains a crucial, elusive goal for both ecosystem managers and aquatic ecologists. In particular, the relations among lake physical and chemical properties, landscape structure and lake carbon cycling must be studied to predict future trends in lake functioning., Sediment cores were collected from the deepest part of 14 small French lakes that differed in lake properties (elevation, conductivity, area, area of the watershed) and land-use class (forest, wetland, agricultural land and urban area). The sampling strategy employed the top-bottom approach (a comparison between present-day conditions and 'reference' conditions at Medieval period, c. AD 1000). For each sample, the following variables were analysed: isotopic carbon composition of sedimentary organic carbon (δ13COM), δ13C of chironomid remains (δ13CHC), and sedimentary pigments (total carotenoids, TC)., Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the size of the catchment area may affect δ13COM values for the Medieval samples ( R2 = 0.36, P < 0.05), such that the flux of terrestrial organic matter increases with the size of the watershed. However, this relation is not observed in the present-day samples, and the influence apparently becomes largely anthropogenic. For these present-day samples, the proportion of agricultural land in the watershed appears to be the primary driver of lake biogeochemical cycles through a direct effect on nutrient availability ( R2 = 0.24, P < 0.05) and through an indirect effect on the benthic carbon cycle. The results also confirm the widespread existence of a pathway for methane-derived carbon contribution to chironomid biomass (up to 61% of chironomid biomass) and suggest that high-conductivity lakes are highly sensitive to the presence of this pathway (more than 75% of the lakes in our dataset have benthic food webs apparently dependent on biogenic methane; CH4)., The results may indicate that the high-conductivity lakes (from the Jura Mountains) are more vulnerable to anthropogenic activities than low-conductivity lakes because high-conductivity water provides an excellent nutritive medium for the development of photoautotrophic production. Studying within-lake CH4 dynamics and the response of the CH4 cycle in high-conductivity lakes appear to be crucial for understanding both regional carbon budgets and lake trophic functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to evaluate the reliability of a newly-developed ball machine named 'Hightof', on the field and to assess its accuracy. The experiment was conducted in the collaboration of the 'Hawk-Eye' technology. The accuracy and reliability of this ball machine were assessed during an incremental test, with 1 min of exercise and 30 sec of recovery, where the frequency of the balls increased from 10 to 30 balls-min"1. The initial frequency was 10 and increased by 2 until 22, then by 1 until 30 balls ⋅min-1. The reference points for the impact were 8.39m from the net and 2.70m from lateral line for the right side and 2.83m for the left side. The precision of the machine was similar on the right and left sides (0.63 ± 0.39 vs 0.63 ± 0.34 m). The distances to the reference point were 0.52 ± 0.42, 0.26 ± 0.19, 0.52 ± 0.37, 0.28 ± 0.19 m for the Y-right, X-right, Y-left and X-left impacts. The precision was constant and did not increase with the intensity. (e.g ball frequency). The ball velocity was 86.3 ± 1.5 and 86.5 ± 1.3 km⋅h-1 for the right and the left side, respectively. The coefficient of variation for the velocity ranged between 1 and 2% in all stages (ball velocity ranging from 10 to 30 balls⋅min-1). Conclusion: both the accuracy and the reliability of this new ball machine appear satisfying enough for field testing and training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulmonary contusion is a major risk factor of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in trauma patients. As this complication may appear after a free interval of 24-48 h, detection of patients at risk is essential. The main objective of this study was to assess the performance of the Thoracic Trauma Severity (TTS) score upon admission in predicting delayed ARDS in blunt trauma patients with pulmonary contusion. Methods: All blunt thoracic trauma patients admitted consecutively to our trauma centre between January 2005 and December 2009 were retrospectively included if they presented a pulmonary contusion on the admission chest computed tomography scan. Main outcome measure was the presence of moderate or severe ARDS (PaO2/FiO2 ratio≤200) for 48 h or more. The global ability of the TTS score to predict ARDS was studied by ROC curves with a threshold analysis using a grey zone approach. Results: Of 329 patients studied (75% men, mean age 36.9 years [SD 17.8 years], mean Injury Severity Score 21.7 [SD 16.0]), 82 (25%) presented with ARDS (mean lowest PaO2/FiO2 ratio of 131 [SD 34]). The area under the ROC curves for the TTS score in predicting ARDS was 0.82 (95% CI 0.78-0.86) in the overall population. TTS scores between 8 and 12 belonged to the inconclusive grey zone. A TTS score of 13-25 was found to be independent risk factors of ARDS (OR 25.8 [95% CI 6.7-99.6] P<0.001). Conclusions: An extreme TTS score on admission accurately predicts the occurrence of delayed ARDS in blunt thoracic trauma patients affected by pulmonary contusion. This simple score could guide early decision making and management for a non-negligible proportion of this specific population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims at reconstructing the limnological conditions of Lake Narlay, a lake of which a previous study has shown major changes in the trophic reliance on methane of the benthic food web. The evolution of environmental and limnological conditions in and around Lake Narlay is reconstructed using combined analyses of subfossil chironomid remains, sedimentary pigments and organic carbon accumulation rates; whereas potential driving factors are reconstructed by pollen and coprophilous analyses and the use of climate paleo-records. The results suggest a complex combination of climate and anthropogenic pressure to explain the 1200 years of ecological trajectory of Lake Narlay. This ecological trajectory seems to be firstly control by climatic variability, because the colder event of the Little Ice Age induces a significant impact on chironomid assemblage, organic matter influx, and lake productivity. In a more recent time, the anthropogenic control seems to become predominant. The intensification of the agro-pastoral practices in the catchment area of Lake Narlay seems to induce the degradation of the oxygen conditions at the water/sediment interface. In addition, the present study gives also lines of evidence that the human intensification in the watershed of Lake Narlay seems to be the main cause of the major change in the contribution of biogenic methane to the benthic food web. However, the transition stage between the two trophic pathways (from absence to transfer of biogenic methane) involves a progressive change with intermediate limnological conditions, making the assessment of a tipping point in the temporal evolution difficult. Better knowledge of the relationships between the temporal evolution of limnological conditions and the activation of the trophic reliance on methane will require the study of other sites with different conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the decision to ban wearing a burqa in France being upheld by the European Court of Justice. It states that wearing the burqa was seen as a sign of subservience by women threatening human dignity and gender equality in France. It mentions the freedom of religion was limited by the principle of vivre ensemble or living together in a community. It highlights that civil values supersede civil rights in such cases.

The heterogeneity of the subfossil chironomid deposition (in terms of assemblages and paleo-diet) has to be studied to assess the reliability of paleolimnological interpretations (i.e., spatial representativeness). We collected 31 cores in the deepest part of Lake Grand Maclu (Jura, France) with the aim of assessing the spatial structures at two spatial scales: a sediment core surface (31.7 cm) and 4 m in the deepest zone of the lake. The results showed that chironomid assemblages exhibited a uniform distribution at the two spatial scales studied. Moreover, a sediment core surface was very reliable for assessing the biodiversity (Simpson's index) of the deepest part with more than 95% of the overall diversity sampled on average. However, δC values of Chironomus anthracinus-type remains revealed a spatial pattern in the contribution of carbon sources to its biomass. We suggest that a heterogeneous distribution of microbial biomass (such as methane-oxidizing bacteria) could induce a spatial pattern (patch) in food availability for chironomid larvae. We recommend increasing the number of head capsules analyzed in spectrometry to reduce this potential bias due to patterns and to improve upscaling results from individual downcore records to the entire deepwater basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of a vehicle on the market depends on its price, reliability, and attractiveness; for the latter, innovations are the key elements in the differentiation from competitors. Managing the processes of selecting and integrating innovation projects into vehicle projects is therefore crucial. This article presents a management tool that aims at managing the interplay between innovation projects and vehicle projects. The objectives are to increase and optimize the amount and value of innovation projects integrated into vehicle projects. The tool, called 'Profilor,' is based on the concept of intrusiveness, which is presented from a theoretical and empirical point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The primary objective of this prospective observational study was to evaluate changes in self-reported disability in patients with anxiety or mood disorders 3 months after initiating antidepressant treatment. Methods: This study included 8396 patients consulting 2433 general practitioners in France for a major mood episode, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Treatment was initiated with the antidepressant that the physician considered appropriate. Patients were evaluated with the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) at baseline and after 6 and 12 weeks. Results: At 12 weeks, 6617 patients (78.8%) were evaluable. At inclusion, the mean SDS subscores were 6.5 ± 2.2 on the work/school activities dimension, 6.8 ± 1.9 on the social activities dimension, and 6.5 ± 2.0 on the family life dimension. At the 12-week follow-up visit, the mean change in score on these three dimensions was -3.9 ± 2.6, -4.2 ± 2.5, and -4.0 ± 2.5, respectively. At the 12-week follow-up visit, 90.0% of patients were responders (defined as patients whose SDS dimension scores decreased by at least one point) on the work/school SDS subscores; 92.8% were responders on the social life SDS subscores, and 91.1% were responders on family life/home responsibilities SDS subscores. Functional remission (defined as an SDS subscore of 0 at study end) rates were 18.0% for the work/school dimension, 16.8% for the social activities dimension, and 19.5% for the family life dimension. Using a cutoff of ≤2, remission rates were 56.8%, 55.0%, and 58.0%, respectively. Improvements in self-rated disability were correlated with improvements in symptoms measured with clinician-rated CGI-S. Conclusion: Patients consulting for anxiety or mood disorders report significant disability, which can be effectively reduced by antidepressant treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The European directive ELV (End of Life of Vehicle) 2000/53/EC means that today''s car manufacturers must make sure that vehicles put on the market in 2006 (and in 2015 respectively) respect the reuse and recovery objectives of 85% in mass (95% respectively) and more particularly a recycling objective of 80% (85% respectively). These objectives (JOCE, 2000) will be checked according to a procedure regulated by the Certification Directive (2005/64/EC). This will oblige car manufacturers in particular to present a Certification Report for each vehicle. The Certification Directive gives requirements as to the objectives to be achieved, but imposes no method by which to achieve them. Each car manufacturer has to identify which vehicle, amongst all those in the same range, is the worst recycling case (this case is called the Vehicle of Reference – Vref); its certification results in a de facto certification of all the other models in that particular range. In this article we propose a method based on an Impact of Module on Recycling Rate (I.M.M.R.) indicator enables us to establish rules for identifying the Vref. This method, which is based on a modular approach of the car, allows to highlighting the reasons for the variation of recyclability rates between different versions of a vehicle. In order to test this method in real conditions, we have developed a strong partnership with Peugeot Citroen SA, a French car manufacturer interested in actively contributing to the ecodesign of more sustainable systems. This method was also applied to a vehicle range (Peugeot 308) and its use compared to that of more traditional approaches to identifying the Vref. The method allows for an intelligent, speedy and reliable identification of Vref. Beyond its use for justification vis-à-vis the End of Life Products directive (ELV, WEEE), this method can also be used more pro-actively as a way of evaluating the impacts of an innovation on the recyclability rate of products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Air samples collected on three different urban sites in East of France (Strasbourg, Besançon, and Spicheren), from April 2006 to January 2007, were characterized to measure the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the particulate phase (PM) and to examine their seasonal variation, diurnal variations, and emission sources. Results: The average concentrations of ΣPAHs were 12.6, 9.5, and 8.9 ng m for the Strasbourg, Besançon, and Spicheren sites, respectively. Strong seasonal variations of individual PAH concentrations were found at the three sampling sites, with higher levels in the winter that gradually decreased to the lowest levels in the summer. The diurnal variations of PAH concentrations in summer presented highest concentrations during the morning (04:00-10:00) and the evening (16:00-22:00) times, indicating the important contribution from vehicle emissions, in the three sampling sites. Furthermore, the ratio of BaP/BeP suggests that the photochemical degradation of PAHs can suppress their concentrations in the midday/afternoon (10:00-16:00), time interval of highest global irradiance. In winter, concentrations of PAH were highest during the evening (16:00-22:00) time, suggesting that domestic heating can potentially be an important source for particulate PAH, for the three sampling sites. Conclusion: Diagnostic ratios were used to identify potential sources of PAHs. Results showed that vehicle emissions may be the major source of PAHs, especially in summer, with a prevalent contribution of diesel engines rather than gasoline engines at the three sites studied, independently of the seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In central Western Europe, several studies have shown that colder Holocene periods, such as the Little Ice Age, also correspond to wet periods. However, in mountain areas which are highly sensitive to erosion processes and where precipitation events can be localized, past evolution of hydrological activity might be more complicated. To assess these past hydrological changes, a paleolimnological approach was applied on a 13.4-m-long sediment core taken in alpine Lake Anterne (2063m asl) and representing the last 3.5ka. Lake sedimentation is mainly composed of flood deposits triggered by precipitation events. Sedimentological and geochemical analyses show that floods were more frequent during cold periods while high-intensity flood events occurred preferentially during warmer periods. In mild temperature conditions, both flood patterns are present. This underlines the complex relationship between flood hazards and climatic change in mountain areas. During the warmer and/or dryer times of the end of Iron Age and the Roman Period, both the frequency and intensity of floods increased. This is interpreted as an effect of human-induced clearing for grazing activities and reveals that anthropogenic interferences must be taken into account when reconstructing climatic signals from natural archives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents quantitative climate estimates for the last millennium, using a multi-proxy approach with pollen and lake-level data from Lake Joux (Swiss Jura Mountains). The climate reconstruction, based on the Modern Analogue Technique, indicates warmer and drier conditions during the Medieval Warm Period (MWP). MWP was preceded by a short-lived cold humid event around AD 1060, and followed by a rapid return around AD 1400 to cooler and wetter conditions which generally characterize the Little Ice Age (LIA). Around AD 1450 (solar Spörer minimum), the LIA attained a temperature minimum and a summer precipitation maximum. The solar Maunder minimum around AD 1690 corresponded at Joux to rather mild temperatures but maximal annual precipitation. These results generally agree with other records from neighbouring Alpine regions. However, there are differences in the timing of the LIA temperature minimum depending on the proxy and/or the method used for the reconstruction. As a working hypothesis, the hydrological signal associated with the MWP and LIA oscillations at Lake Joux may have been mainly driven by a shift around AD 1400 from positive to negative NAO modes in response to variations in solar irradiance possibly coupled with changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

French companies operate in a unique environment characterized by the strong involvement of block shareholders such as families and banks. Furthermore, the French legal system allows firms to choose between a one-tier or a two-tier board structure. This study investigates whether this choice can affect the firm's operating and stock performance. Our regression results provide strong evidence that ownership and board structures are used together as corporate governance tools. In particular, the agency cost of debt is strongly affected by their interaction when institutional investors are also bank lenders. Our test results show that while family control has a negative impact on corporate governance, French institutional blockholders play a positive role as monitors of one-tier structures. In contrast, they are more likely to misuse the two-tier board system by promoting interlocked directorship, board opacity and their own interests as creditors. Our regression analysis reveals that foreign institutional investors do not have any impact on firm performance, regardless of board structure. Finally, we do not find any inverse relationship between board size and efficiency in France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents a lake-level record established for the last millennium at Lake Saint-Point in the French Jura Mountains. A comparison of this lake-level record with a solar irradiance record supports the hypothesis of a solar forcing of variations in the hydrological cycle linked to climatic oscillations over the last millennium in west-central Europe, with higher lake levels during the solar minimums of Oort (around AD 1060), Wolf (around AD 1320), Spörer (around AD 1450), Maunder (around AD 1690), and Dalton (around AD 1820). Further comparisons of the Saint-Point record with the fluctuations of the Great Aletsch Glacier (Swiss Alps) and a record of Rhône River floods from Lake Bourget (French Alps) give evidence of possible imprints of proxy sensitivity on reconstructed paleohydrological records. In particular, the Great Aletsch record shows an increasing glacier mass from AD 1350 to 1850, suggesting a cumulative effect of the Little Ice Age cooling and/or a possible reflection of a millennial-scale general cooling until the mid-19th century in the Northern Hemisphere. In contrast, the Saint-Point and Bourget records show a general trend toward a decrease in lake levels and in flood magnitude anti-correlated with generally increasing solar irradiance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Atmospheric samples have been collected in Strasbourg between April 18 and May 29, 2007 and were analyzed for 71 current-use pesticides, of which 38 were detected. Average concentrations ranged from 0.09 ng m−3 for Fenarimol to 110.42 ng m−3 for Dimethachlor, which was slightly higher than the concentrations reported from other, comparable agricultural regions. Significant temporal variations were observed for 30 pesticides, and for most of them it could be shown that these were linked to time, temperature or atmospheric pressure. In several cases this helped to identify pesticide application just before or at the beginning of the sampling period, or ongoing treatment. Humidity, in contrast to previous reports, could not be linked to these variations. For the other 8 pesticides, only very little temporal variations were observed. Generally, these concentrations were low (less than 1 ng m−3), and it was assumed that they are not in use in Alsace at present. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In shallow ecosystems, the short temporal variability of available underwater irradiance is considered a major process controlling submerged macrophytes development. Mechanistic models that estimate photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) in shallow ecosystems at very short time scales are needed for use in predicting submerged macrophyte growth and persistence. We coupled a 2D horizontal circulation model with, first, a 1D vertical numerical model of suspended solid (SS) re-suspension, diffusion and settling, and next, with a model of vertical extinction of irradiance, previously validated at the same site. The study site was the Vaccarès lagoon (France) where a large data set of high frequency bottom irradiance and SS concentration were available. SS and irradiance measurements were conducted at a vertical study station, monitored over a 6 month period (from December 1995 to May 1996) characterized by wide-ranging wind velocities (1.5–18 ms−1). In addition, grain-size analyses conducted over the whole lagoon, allowed adaptation of the 1D numerical model to the silt-sized (7 μm) and clay-sized (0.3 μm) fractions that prevail in the local sediment. First, model results showed that about 60% of the variance in bottom irradiance time series can be explained by our deterministic formulations, thus representing the same level of efficiency than those already obtained by a stochastic model previously developed with the same data set. Second, model results showed that the fit of the model to the field data (SS concentrations and bottom irradiance) depended mainly on storm occurrence and season (winter or spring). Finally, model results suggested that the underwater irradiance regime was controlled by seasonal succession of the horizontal circulation of turbid water in the lagoon, with increased solids concentrations in winter, followed by submerged canopy development and decreased solids concentrations in spring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a chironomid-based reconstruction of late-Holocene temperature from Lake Anterne (2060 m a.s.l.) in the northern French Alps. Chironomid assemblages were studied in 49 samples along an 8 m long sediment core covering the last 1800 years. July air temperatures were inferred using an inference model based on the distribution of chironomid assemblages in 100 Swiss lakes. The transfer function has a leave-one-out cross-validated coefficient of determination (r2) of 0.88, a root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 1.40°C. Despite possible biases induced by methodological aspects and the ecological complexity of the chironomid response to both climate and environmental changes, the concordance of the Lake Anterne temperature reconstruction with other Alpine records suggests that the transfer function has successfully reconstructed past summer temperature during the last two millennia. The twentieth century is the only section of the record which shows a poor agreement with other climate reconstructions and the distinct warming found in most instrumental records for this period is not apparent in the Lake Anterne record. Stocking of the lake with fish from the early twentieth century onwards was found to be a possible cause of changes in the chironomid fauna and subsequent distortion in the inferred climate signal. Evidence was found of a cold phase at Lake Anterne between AD 400 and 680, a warm episode between AD 680 and 1350, and another cold phase between AD 1350 and 1900. These events were possibly correlated to the so-called 'Dark Age Cold Period' (DACP), the 'Mediaeval Warm Period' (MWP) and the 'Little Ice Age' (LIA). The chironomid-based inference model reconstructed a July air temperature decrease of c. 0.7°C for the DACP and 1.3°C for the LIA compared with the temperature prevailing during the MWP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The doctrine of medical support during French military operations is based on a triptych: forward medical stabilization, forward damage control surgery, and early strategic aeromedical evacuation (Strategic-AE). The aim of this study was to describe the last piece, the evacuation process of the French Strategic-AE.Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis using patient records from 2015 to 2017. All French service members requiring an air evacuation from a foreign country to a homeland medical facility were included. Data collected included age, medical diagnosis, priority categorization, boarding location, distance from Paris, type of plane and flight, medical team composition, timeline, and dispatch at arrival.Results: We analyzed 2,129 patients evacuated from 71 countries, most from Africa (1,256), the Middle East (382), and South America (175). Most patients (1,958) were not severely injured, although some considered priority (103) or urgent (68). Diagnoses included disease (48.6%), nonbattle injuries (43%), battle stress (5.3%), and battle injuries (3%). 246 Strategic-AE used medical teams in flight, 136 of them in a dedicated Falcon aircraft. The main etiologies for those evacuations were battle injuries (24%), cardiovascular (15.4%), infections (8%), and neurologic (7.3%). The median time of management for urgent patients was about 16 hours but longer for priority patients (26 hours). Once in France, 1,146 patients were admitted to a surgery department and 96 to an intensive care unit.Conclusion: This is the first study to analyze the French Strategic-AE system, which is doctrinally unique when compared to its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies favor care in the theatre in place of the French early Strategic-AE. However, in the event of a high intensity conflict, a combination of these two doctrines could be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In to order increase sensitivity and to reduce the background induced by matrix effects, a method was developed that uses flash chromatography to separate various compounds present in atmospheric aerosol samples prior to their analysis with different analytical techniques (GC–MS, GC–FID, HPLC). For this purpose, flash chromatography using a 4 g silica gel column crossed by eluent at a flow rate of 20 mL min−1 was used. An eluent with enhanced polarity is needed to separate nonpolar (linear and branched alkanes), semipolar (PAH, nitro-PAH and cholesterol) and polar (methoxyphenols, alkanoic acids, and levoglucosan) compounds. Three combinations of solvents were used: hexane for the nonpolar fraction (F1), toluene/hexane for the semipolar fraction (F2) and dimethylformamide for the polar fraction (F3). The use of different eluents for each fraction allows separation of the sample to be accomplished with good repeatability and satisfying yields [85 ± 5% for F1, 81 ± 8% (PAHs), 89 ± 6% (nitro-PAHs) and 74 ± 7% (cholesterol) for F2 and 79 ± 7% ( n-alkanoic acids), 40 ± 11% (methoxyphenols) and 77 ± 6% (levoglucosan) for F3]. The methoxyphenol yields were low due to losses during the concentration/evaporation step. This method was then applied to analyse the organic composition of particles collected at an urban site in Strasbourg (France). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the frame of the largest French project of artificial production reefs, initiated by the city of Marseilles in 2001, the present study aimed at describing the hydrodynamic pattern of the coastal area considered, by the use of a 3D numerical modelling. Results were local wind statistics, bottom current fields and drifting particle maps. The knowledge of the hydrodynamic connexions between particle (such as larvae) sources or targeted areas linked to the reefs, allows us to explain the success or failure of the reefs'' colonizing. Moreover, the study confirms the wind spatial variability and demonstrates the error resulting from the use of an average but locally absent wind direction. To cite this article: M.-A. Pradal, B. Millet, C. R. Biologies 329 (2006). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the geographic and spatial variations of the atmospheric concentration of phenolic compounds in eastern France. The air sampling were done in different areas to evaluate the atmospheric presence of these compounds and to determine the role of automobile exhausts in amplifying air pollution. It was found out that the emissions from automobile traffic in urban, suburban and rural areas were the major source of phenol, p-cresol, pentachlorophenol and 2.4-dinitrophenol in the air.

A multiresidue method using gas chromatography coupled to ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (GC–ITD–MS/MS) associated with solid phase microextraction (SPME) was developed for the analysis of 20 pesticides commonly used in the Alsace region in rainwater samples. Since the pesticides were expected to be present at very low concentrations and in complex matrices, the analytical method used was both highly selective and sensitive. Therefore, fibers coated with polyacrylate (PA), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polydimethylsiloxane-divinylbenzene (PDMS-DVB) were tested, and the parameters affecting the precision and accuracy of the SPME method were investigated and optimized. These parameters include the type of fiber, the adsorption time, the effect of salt, and the extraction temperature. The PDMS fiber was the most polyvalent for the extractions of the different pesticides studied. Detection limits of between 5 and 500 ng L−1, depending on the compounds under study (except for those which could not be analyzed: captan and mevinphos), were obtained with this analytical procedure. This method was applied to the analysis of rainwater samples collected simultaneously on a weekly basis at one rural and one urban site between March 2002 and July 2003. While some of the 20 pesticides analyzed were constantly detected (such as lindane and atrazine), a strong temporal variability was observed for some of the others (including alachlor, metolachlor, atrazine). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context A recent trial showed that placing patients with acute lung injury in the prone position did not increase survival; however, whether those results hold true for patients with hypoxemic acute respiratory failure (ARF) is unclear. Objective To determine whether prone positioning improves mortality in ARF patients. Design, Setting, and Patients Prospective, unblinded, multicenter controlled trial of 791 ARF patients in 21 general intensive care units in France using concealed randomization conducted from December 14, 1998, through December 31, 2002. To be included, patients had to be at least 18 years, hemodynamically stable, receiving mechanical ventilation, and intubated and had to have a partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) to fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) ratio of 300 or less and no contraindications to lying prone. Interventions Patients were randomly assigned to prone position placement (n = 413), applied as early as possible for at least 8 hours per day on standard beds, or to supine position placement (n = 378). Main Outcome Measures The primary end point was 28-day mortality; secondary end points were 90-day mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and oxygenation. Results The 2 groups were comparable at randomization. The 28-day mortality rate was 32.4% for the prone group and 31.5% for the supine group (relative risk [RR], 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79-1.19; P = .77). Ninety-day mortality for the prone group was 43.3% vs 42.2% for the supine group (RR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.84-1.13; P = .74). The mean (SD) duration of mechanical ventilation was 13.7 (7.8) days for the prone group vs 14.1 (8.6) days for the supine group (P = .93) and the VAP incidence was 1.66 vs 2.14 episodes per 100-patients days of intubation, respectively (P = .045). The PaO2/FIO2 ratio was significantl... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, included within the framework of a Franco-German Research Program for Conservation of Historical Monuments, the chemical composition of rainwater was investigated in Thann (Alsace, France) and in Tours (Indre et Loire, France) between 1992 and 1993. A total of 78 and 24 samples, respectively, were collected, near the Thann collegiate and the Tours cathedral on a weekly basis and analysed for Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+. Results show pH ranged from 3.60 to 6.58 and from 5.49 to 7.01 for Thann and Tours, respectively. In Thann, SO42- is the major anion and rainwater acidity is neutralised by compounds of terrigenic origin which come from the soil of the upper Rhine valley (Ca2+; `loess') and the potash mines of Alsace. In Tours, SO42- is also the major anion and the acidity is neutralised partially by atmospheric ammonia and partially by compounds of terrigenic origin and by dust from the erosion of the cathedral and the works of restoration, in the form of CaCO3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populus alba plantlet micropropagation has been used for maintaining MLOs more than three years in samples collected from infected trees in Paris. Symptoms were observed on plantlets obtained from subcultures of the apical, middle and basal parts of the stems, and from the roots. Fluorescent microscopy failed to detect MLOs in the apical part of the plantlets and showed that they increased near the roots. Electron microscopy confirmed their presence. Some root sieve tubes were completely packed with MLOs. The sensitivity of the two methods used, subculturing and microscopy, for detection of MLOs is discussed. The symptoms remained for one year in plants regenerated from diseased plantlets and grown in the greenhouse. Then they started to disappear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on a research study from the Université Claude Bernard Lyon in France which focuses on a ligand-controlled carbon-hydrogen (C-H) arylation of Boc-piperidines. It says that the study aims to create a direct functionalization method for C-H bonds in beta-position to the nitrogen atom. It notes that the research team performed a computational chemistry to examine the alpha-beta selectivity.

Plasmodium falciparum malaria is usually transmitted by mosquitoes. We report 2 cases in France transmitted by other modes: occupational blood exposure and blood transusion. Even where malaria is not endemic, it should be considered as a cause of unexplained acute fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]