Élaboration et caractérisation de biocomposites à base d’acide polylactique et de fibres de lin: compatibilisation interfaciale par dépôt de revêtements à base d’époxy, de dioxyde de titane, de lignine ou de tanin

Le développement de solutions alternatives aux matériaux issus du pétrole est un enjeu environnemental crucial et cela passe notamment par l’utilisation de biopolymères. L’acide polylactique (PLA) est un biopolymère biosourcé et biodégradable, produit à l’échelle industrielle, et présentant des propriétés mécaniques intéressantes. Néanmoins, il reste fragile, peu résistant aux chocs et présente une faible tenue en température, limitant son utilisation dans de nombreuses applications. Un renforcement est souvent nécessaire et l’ajout de fibres naturelles a déjà montré de bons résultats. Or, il s’avère que le Canada est le premier producteur mondial de graines de lin, mais les tiges, qui renferment une quantité importante de fibres qui pourraient être valorisées en tant que renforts dans les matériaux composites, sont brûlées ou laissées sur place. Cependant, ces fibres ne peuvent être utilisées sans un prétraitement. En effet, l’adhésion matrice/fibres est loin d’être optimale en raison du caractère hydrophile et polaire des fibres, alors que les matrices polymères sont généralement plus hydrophobes et moins polaires. La résistance interfaciale fibres/matrice est donc souvent très faible, engendrant de mauvaises propriétés mécaniques, et une durabilité limitée en raison de la sensibilité à l’humidité des fibres. Ainsi, la compatibilisation fibres/matrice par traitement de surface des fibres fait l’objet de nombreuses études, mais la majorité des traitements développés fait encore appel à des approches et des procédés dont l’impact environnemental est non négligeable. Le but de cette thèse était donc de développer des traitements de compatibilisation simples et écologiques et d’élaborer des biocomposites à matrice PLA. L’approche proposée repose sur le dépôt à la surface des fibres de lin d’une fine couche, micrométrique, voire nanométrique, de compatibilisants à base de nanosilice/époxy, dioxyde de titane, lignine ou tanin, suivi de l’élaboration et la caractérisation des composites. Nos principaux résultats montrent que le revêtement au dioxyde de titane couplé à une cristallisation contrôlée du PLA a permis d’atteindre d’excellentes propriétés mécaniques et interfaciales. Toutefois, le revêtement au tanin, composé phénolique hydrosoluble, est prometteur

Review of methods addressing freshwater use in life cycle inventory and impact assessment

Purpose: In recent years, several methods have been developed which propose different freshwater use inventory schemes and impact assessment characterization models considering various cause-effect chain relationships. This work reviewed a multitude of methods and indicators for freshwater use potentially applicable in life cycle assessment (LCA). This review is used as a basis to identify the key elements to build a scientific consensus for operational characterization methods for LCA. Methods: This evaluation builds on the criteria and procedure developed within the International Reference Life Cycle Data System Handbook and has been adapted for the purpose of this project. It therefore includes (1) description of relevant cause-effect chains, (2) definition of criteria to evaluate the existing methods, (3) development of sub-criteria specific to freshwater use, and (4) description and review of existing methods addressing freshwater in LCA. Results and discussion: No single method is available which comprehensively describes all potential impacts derived from freshwater use. However, this review highlights several key findings to design a characterization method encompassing all the impact pathways of the assessment of freshwater use and consumption in life cycle assessment framework as the following: (1) in most of databases and methods, consistent freshwater balances are not reported either because output is not considered or because polluted freshwater is recalculated based on a critical dilution approach; (2) at the midpoint level, most methods are related to water scarcity index and correspond to the methodological choice of an indicator simplified in terms of the number of parameters (scarcity) and freshwater uses (freshwater consumption or freshwater withdrawal) considered. More comprehensive scarcity indices distinguish different freshwater types and functionalities. (3) At the endpoint level, several methods already exist which report results in units compatible with traditional human health and ecosystem quality damage and cover various cause-effect chains, e.g., the decrease of terrestrial biodiversity due to freshwater consumption. (4) Midpoint and endpoint indicators have various levels of spatial differentiation, i.e., generic factors with no differentiation at all, or country, watershed, and grid cell differentiation. Conclusions: Existing databases should be (1) completed with input and output freshwater flow differentiated according to water types based on its origin (surface water, groundwater, and precipitation water stored as soil moisture), (2) regionalized, and (3) if possible, characterized with a set of quality parameters. The assessment of impacts related to freshwater use is possible by assembling methods in a comprehensive methodology to characterize each use adequatel

Understanding the political motivations that shape Rwanda’s emergent developmental state

Twenty years after its horrific genocide, Rwanda has become a model for economic development. At the same time, its government has been criticized for its authoritarian tactics and use of violence. Missing from the often-polarized debate are the connections between these two perspectives. Synthesizing existing literature on Rwanda in light of a combined year of fieldwork, we argue that the GoR is using the developmental infrastructure to deepen state power and expand political control. We first identify the historical pressures that have motivated the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) to re-imagine the political landscape. Sectarian unrest, political rivalry, wider regional insecurity, and aid withdrawal have all pressured the RPF to identify growth as strategic. However, the country’s political transformation extends beyond a prioritisation of growth and encompasses the reordering of the social and physical layout of the territory, the articulation of new ideologies and mindsets, and the provision of social services and surveillance infrastructure. Growth and social control go hand in hand. As such, the paper’s main contribution is to bring together the two sides of the Rwandan debate and place the country in a broader sociological literature about the parallel development of capitalist relations and transformations in state power

Analysis of 339 pregnancies in 181 women with 13 different forms of inherited thrombocytopenia

65Pregnancy in women with inherited thrombocytopenias is a major matter of concern as both the mothers and the newborns are potentially at risk of bleeding. However, medical management of this condition cannot be based on evidence because of the lack of consistent information in the literature. To advance knowledge on this matter, we performed a multicentric, retrospective study evaluating 339 pregnancies in 181 women with 13 different forms of inherited thrombocytopenia. Neither the degree of thrombocytopenia nor the severity of bleeding tendency worsened during pregnancy and the course of pregnancy did not differ from that of healthy subjects in terms of miscarriages, fetal bleeding and pre-term births. The degree of thrombocytopenia in the babies was similar to that in the mother. Only 7 of 156 affected newborns had delivery-related bleeding, but 2 of them died of cerebral hemorrhage. The frequency of delivery-related maternal bleeding ranged from 6.8% to 14.2% depending on the definition of abnormal blood loss, suggesting that the risk of abnormal blood loss was increased with respect to the general population. However, no mother died or had to undergo hysterectomy to arrest bleeding. The search for parameters predicting delivery-related bleeding in the mother suggested that hemorrhages requiring blood transfusion were more frequent in women with history of severe bleedings before pregnancy and with platelet count at delivery below 50 × 10(9)/L.openopenPatrizia Noris; Nicole Schlegel; Catherine Klersy; Paula G. Heller; Elisa Civaschi; Nuria Pujol-Moix; Fabrizio Fabris; Remi Favier; Paolo Gresele; Véronique Latger-Cannard; Adam Cuker; Paquita Nurden; Andreas Greinacher; Marco Cattaneo; Erica De Candia; Alessandro Pecci; Marie-Françoise Hurtaud-Roux; Ana C. Glembotsky; Eduardo Muñiz-Diaz; Maria Luigia Randi; Nathalie Trillot; Loredana Bury; Thomas Lecompte; Caterina Marconi; Anna Savoia; Carlo L. Balduini; Sophie Bayart; Anne Bauters; Schéhérazade Benabdallah-Guedira; Françoise Boehlen; Jeanne-Yvonne Borg; Roberta Bottega; James Bussel; Daniela De Rocco; Emmanuel de Maistre; Michela Faleschini; Emanuela Falcinelli; Silvia Ferrari; Alina Ferster; Tiziana Fierro; Dominique Fleury; Pierre Fontana; Chloé James; Francois Lanza; Véronique Le Cam Duchez; Giuseppe Loffredo; Pamela Magini; Dominique Martin-Coignard; Fanny Menard; Sandra Mercier; Annamaria Mezzasoma; Pietro Minuz; Ilaria Nichele; Lucia D. Notarangelo; Tommaso Pippucci; Gian Marco Podda; Catherine Pouymayou; Agnes Rigouzzo; Bruno Royer; Pierre Sie; Virginie Siguret; Catherine Trichet; Alessandra Tucci; Béatrice Saposnik; Dino VeneriPatrizia, Noris; Nicole, Schlegel; Catherine, Klersy; Paula G., Heller; Elisa, Civaschi; Nuria Pujol, Moix; Fabrizio, Fabris; Remi, Favier; Paolo, Gresele; Véronique Latger, Cannard; Adam, Cuker; Paquita, Nurden; Andreas, Greinacher; Marco, Cattaneo; Erica De, Candia; Alessandro, Pecci; Marie Françoise Hurtaud, Roux; Ana C., Glembotsky; Eduardo Muñiz, Diaz; Maria Luigia, Randi; Nathalie, Trillot; Loredana, Bury; Thomas, Lecompte; Caterina, Marconi; Savoia, Anna; Carlo L., Balduini; Sophie, Bayart; Anne, Bauters; Schéhérazade Benabdallah, Guedira; Françoise, Boehlen; Jeanne Yvonne, Borg; Bottega, Roberta; James, Bussel; DE ROCCO, Daniela; Emmanuel de, Maistre; Faleschini, Michela; Emanuela, Falcinelli; Silvia, Ferrari; Alina, Ferster; Tiziana, Fierro; Dominique, Fleury; Pierre, Fontana; Chloé, James; Francois, Lanza; Véronique Le Cam, Duchez; Giuseppe, Loffredo; Pamela, Magini; Dominique Martin, Coignard; Fanny, Menard; Sandra, Mercier; Annamaria, Mezzasoma; Pietro, Minuz; Ilaria, Nichele; Lucia D., Notarangelo; Tommaso, Pippucci; Gian Marco, Podda; Catherine, Pouymayou; Agnes, Rigouzzo; Bruno, Royer; Pierre, Sie; Virginie, Siguret; Catherine, Trichet; Alessandra, Tucci; Béatrice, Saposnik; Dino, Vener

A 1-Year Prospective French Nationwide Study of Emergency Hospital Admissions in Children and Adults with Primary Immunodeficiency.

PURPOSE: Patients with primary immunodeficiency (PID) are at risk of serious complications. However, data on the incidence and causes of emergency hospital admissions are scarce. The primary objective of the present study was to describe emergency hospital admissions among patients with PID, with a view to identifying "at-risk" patient profiles. METHODS: We performed a prospective observational 12-month multicenter study in France via the CEREDIH network of regional PID reference centers from November 2010 to October 2011. All patients with PIDs requiring emergency hospital admission were included. RESULTS: A total of 200 admissions concerned 137 patients (73 adults and 64 children, 53% of whom had antibody deficiencies). Thirty admissions were reported for 16 hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients. When considering the 170 admissions of non-transplant patients, 149 (85%) were related to acute infections (respiratory tract infections and gastrointestinal tract infections in 72 (36%) and 34 (17%) of cases, respectively). Seventy-seven percent of the admissions occurred during winter or spring (December to May). The in-hospital mortality rate was 8.8% (12 patients); death was related to a severe infection in 11 cases (8%) and Epstein-Barr virus-induced lymphoma in 1 case. Patients with a central venous catheter (n = 19, 13.9%) were significantly more hospitalized for an infection (94.7%) than for a non-infectious reason (5.3%) (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Our data showed that the annual incidence of emergency hospital admission among patients with PID is 3.4%. The leading cause of emergency hospital admission was an acute infection, and having a central venous catheter was associated with a significantly greater risk of admission for an infectious episode

Life Cycle Impact Assessment

International audienceThis chapter is dedicated to the third phase of an LCA study, the Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) where the life cycle inventory's information on elementary flows is translated into environmental impact scores. In contrast to the three other LCA phases, LCIA is in practice largely automated by LCA software, but the underlying principles, models and factors should still be well understood by practitioners to ensure the insight that is needed for a qualified interpretation of the results.This chapter teaches the fundamentals of LCIA and opens the black box of LCIA with its characterisation models and factors to inform the reader about: (1) the main purpose and characteristics of LCIA, (2) the mandatory and optional steps of LCIA according to the ISO standard, and (3) the science and methods underlying the assessment for each environmental impact category. For each impact category, the reader is taken through (a) the underlying environmental problem, (b) the underlying environmental mechanism and its fundamental modelling principles, (c) the main anthropogenic sources causing the problem and (d) the main methods available in LCIA. An annex to this book offers a comprehensive qualitative comparison of the main elements and properties of the most widely used and also the latest LCIAmethods for each impact category, to further assist the advanced practitioner to make an informed choice between LCIA methods

Etablir une relation de fidélité dans le secteur bancaire : le cas de la cible " étudiants "

This research investigates the antecedents of students' loyalty in retail banking services, through the four phases approach suggested by Oliver (1999). The analysis of 60 semi-directive interviews confirms the importance of satisfaction, confidence and affective commitment in the development of customer loyalty. The results show that a large part of students have achieved an advanced stage in the loyalty process. This youth segment is waiting for interpersonal relationships with banking advisors. The formers play a key-role in the development of confidence and affective commitment, which are convenient factors to engage in commercial transactions.Cette recherche explore les antécédents de la fidélité bancaire des étudiants, selon les quatre phases du processus suggéré par Oliver (1999). L'étude de 60 entretiens semi-directifs confirme le rôle de la satisfaction, de la confiance et de l'engagement dans la construction de la fidélité. Malgré leur jeune âge, une part non négligeable des étudiants se situent à un stage avancé du processus de fidélité. Ils sont en attente de relations interpersonnelles avec leur conseiller. Les résultats obtenus doivent attirer l'attention des banques sur le rôle clé joué par ce dernier dans l'instauration d'un climat de confiance et le développement d'un engagement affectif, propices au développement des opérations commerciale

Élaboration et caractérisation de biocomposites à base d’acide polylactique et de fibres de lin: compatibilisation interfaciale par dépôt de revêtements à base d’époxy, de dioxyde de titane, de lignine ou de tanin

Le développement de solutions alternatives aux matériaux issus du pétrole est un enjeu environnemental crucial et cela passe notamment par l’utilisation de biopolymères. L’acide polylactique (PLA) est un biopolymère biosourcé et biodégradable, produit à l’échelle industrielle, et présentant des propriétés mécaniques intéressantes. Néanmoins, il reste fragile, peu résistant aux chocs et présente une faible tenue en température, limitant son utilisation dans de nombreuses applications. Un renforcement est souvent nécessaire et l’ajout de fibres naturelles a déjà montré de bons résultats. Or, il s’avère que le Canada est le premier producteur mondial de graines de lin, mais les tiges, qui renferment une quantité importante de fibres qui pourraient être valorisées en tant que renforts dans les matériaux composites, sont brûlées ou laissées sur place. Cependant, ces fibres ne peuvent être utilisées sans un prétraitement. En effet, l’adhésion matrice/fibres est loin d’être optimale en raison du caractère hydrophile et polaire des fibres, alors que les matrices polymères sont généralement plus hydrophobes et moins polaires. La résistance interfaciale fibres/matrice est donc souvent très faible, engendrant de mauvaises propriétés mécaniques, et une durabilité limitée en raison de la sensibilité à l’humidité des fibres. Ainsi, la compatibilisation fibres/matrice par traitement de surface des fibres fait l’objet de nombreuses études, mais la majorité des traitements développés fait encore appel à des approches et des procédés dont l’impact environnemental est non négligeable. Le but de cette thèse était donc de développer des traitements de compatibilisation simples et écologiques et d’élaborer des biocomposites à matrice PLA. L’approche proposée repose sur le dépôt à la surface des fibres de lin d’une fine couche, micrométrique, voire nanométrique, de compatibilisants à base de nanosilice/époxy, dioxyde de titane, lignine ou tanin, suivi de l’élaboration et la caractérisation des composites. Nos principaux résultats montrent que le revêtement au dioxyde de titane couplé à une cristallisation contrôlée du PLA a permis d’atteindre d’excellentes propriétés mécaniques et interfaciales. Toutefois, le revêtement au tanin, composé phénolique hydrosoluble, est prometteur