Local expectations of the European Green Deal

Written as part of the ARQUS Twinning Programme on “Local Energy Transitions” between Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 and University of Bergen spring 202

Les séries fluvio-éoliennes du "Cutler Group" :: Permien (Utah, USA). Modèle architectural et expression des unités génétiques

National audienceL'essor qu'a connu la stratigraphie séquentielle dans les environnements continentaux a permis de définir des modèles architecturaux pour des séries fluvio-lacustres. Plus récemment, les modèles proposés ont intégré les dépôts éoliens dans les systèmes continentaux côtiers ou lacustres (préservation de l'éolien vs variations de la table d'eau, e.g. Carr-Crabaugh & Kocurek, 1998) ou dans les systèmes continentaux endoréiques (préservation de l'éolien vs climat (e.g. Clemmensen et al., 1998) ou préservation de l'éolien vs accommodation et flux de sédiments, e.g. Bourquin et al., 2009). Cependant, peu de modèles discutent les variations de préservation des dépôts éoliens par rapport aux environnements continentaux associés (fluvial, lac, playa) afin de prédire un modèle architectural des dépôts éoliens (du réservoir au bassin) en fonction du contexte géodynamique. L'objectif de cet exposé est de contraindre l'expression des unités génétiques et de proposer un modèle architectural montrant les variations de préservation des dépôts éoliens en fonction du contexte tectonique, climatique et eustatique. L'étude des séries du Permien inférieur, " Cutler Group ", du " Paradox Basin " (SE Utah), caractérisées par des dépôts fluvio-éoliens (e.g. Condon, 1997), a été réalisée à partir de 5 sections sédimentologiques. Elles sont localisées sur un profil proximal représenté par des dépôts dominés fluvial jusqu'à des dépôts dominés éolien dans le domaine distal (e.g. Mountney & Jagger, 2004). Une étude sédimentologique et stratigraphique détaillée permet de proposer une évolution spatiale et temporelle des environnements de dépôt. Nous avons ainsi mis en évidence (1) les variations d'expression des unités génétiques d'un environnement proximal à un environnement distal en climat semi-aride, (2) plusieurs modèles architecturaux montrant l'évolution verticale depuis un contexte de bassin côtier, à dunes éoliennes faiblement préservées, vers des environnements plus continentaux dominés éolien puis vers des systèmes fluvio-lacustres à faible préservation des dépôts éoliens

One single static measurement predicts wave localization in complex structures

A recent theoretical breakthrough has brought a new tool, called \emph{localization landscape}, to predict the localization regions of vibration modes in complex or disordered systems. Here, we report on the first experiment which measures the localization landscape and demonstrates its predictive power. Holographic measurement of the static deformation under uniform load of a thin plate with complex geometry provides direct access to the landscape function. When put in vibration, this system shows modes precisely confined within the sub-regions delineated by the landscape function. Also the maxima of this function match the measured eigenfrequencies, while the minima of the valley network gives the frequencies at which modes become extended. This approach fully characterizes the low frequency spectrum of a complex structure from a single static measurement. It paves the way to the control and engineering of eigenmodes in any vibratory system, especially where a structural or microscopic description is not accessible.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Późny przerzut do wątroby raka rdzeniastego tarczycy z niskim stężeniem kalcytoniny skutecznie wyleczony metodą radioablacji

  A 28-year-old female consulted in 1994 for a left thyroid nodule known for two years with documented progression. Left lobe resection was performed initially followed by total thyroidectomy without lymph node dissection in September 1994. Pathological examination concluded on unilateral 10 × 40 mm medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). RET mutation was negative. Basal and pentagastrin-stimulated CT levels had been normal from 1994 to 2008 when her CT level was found to be elevated at 33 ng/L and increased subsequently to 111 ng/L in 2010. In accordance with guidelines, cervical ultrasound was performed repeatedly with negative results. After discussion in a multidisciplinary meeting and with patient’s consent, an F-Dopa PET scan was proposed in disagreement with guidelines. This scan showed unique uptake in liver segment VI, which was confirmed by MRI. CT levels reached to 253 ng/L when she finally accepted treatment. In February 2013 we performed radiofrequency ablation of the lesion, which allowed normalisation of CT levels. This observation highlights the possibility of late recurrence of MTC. We could propose that for MTC patients with low-calcitonin levels-recurrences F-DOPA-PET/CT is a good diagnostic tool to use in case of repeatedly negative US neck studies. (Endokrynol Pol 2016; 67 (3): 326–329)    Chora w wieku 28 lat zgłosiła się do lekarza w 1994 roku z powodu lewostronnego guzka tarczycy wykrytego 2 lata wcześniej, z potwierdzoną progresją. Wykonano resekcję lewego płata tarczycy. Totalną tyreoidektomię wykonano we wrześniu 1994 roku bez usunięcia węzłów chłonnych. W badaniu patomorfologicznych stwierdzono jednostronnego raka rdzeniastego tarczycy (MTC) o wymiarach 10 × 40 mm. Wynik badania w kierunku mutacji RET był ujemny. Stężenia kalcytoniny (CT, calcitonin), podstawowe i po stymulacji pentagastryną, były prawidłowe od 1994 roku. Do 2008 roku, kiedy stwierdzono podwyższone stężenie CT wynoszące 33 ng/l, a następnie jego dalszy wzrost do 111 ng/l w 2010 roku. Zgodnie z zaleceniami powtórnie wykonano badanie USG szyi, w którym nie stwierdzono nieprawidłowości. Po omówieniu przypadku na spotkaniu wielodyscyplinarnego zespołu i uzyskaniu zgody chorej przeprowadzono badanie F-Dopa PET (niezgodnie z zaleceniami), w którym wykazano pojedyncze ognisko wychwytu w segmencie VI wątroby, co zostało potwierdzone w badaniu MRI. Kiedy chora w końcu zaakceptowała leczenie, stężenia CT zwiększyły się do 253 ng/l. W lutym 2013 roku wykonano ablację zmiany prądem o częstotliwości radiowej, co pozwoliło uzyskać normalizację stężeń CT w 2015 r. Ta obserwacja zwraca uwagę na możliwość późnej wznowy. Autorzy sugerują, że u chorych z MTC z ponownie stwierdzonym niskim stężeniem kalcytoniny wybór F-DOPA-PET/CT jako metody diagnostycznej jest dobrym rozwiązaniem w przypadku powtórnych ujemnych wyników USG szyi. (Endokrynol Pol 2016; 67 (3): 326–329)

Impact of Temporary Nitrogen Deprivation on Tomato Leaf Phenolics

Reducing the use of pesticides represents a major challenge of modern agriculture. Plants synthesize secondary metabolites such as polyphenols that participate in the resistance to parasites. The aim of this study was to test: (1) the impact of nitrogen deficiency on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaf composition and more particularly on two phenolic molecules (chlorogenic acid and rutin) as well as on the general plant biomass; and (2) whether this effect continued after a return to normal nitrogen nutrition. Our results showed that plants deprived of nitrogen for 10 or 19 days contained higher levels of chlorogenic acid and rutin than control plants. In addition, this difference persisted when the plants were once again cultivated on a nitrogen-rich medium. These findings offer interesting perspectives on the use of a short period of deprivation to modulate the levels of compounds of interest in a plant

Gene expression meta-analysis of Parkinson’s disease and its relationship with Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are the most common neurodegenerative diseases and have been suggested to share common pathological and physiological links. Understanding the cross-talk between them could reveal potentials for the development of new strategies for early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention thus improving the quality of life of those affected. Here we have conducted a novel meta-analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PD microarray datasets comprising 69 PD and 57 control brain samples which is the biggest cohort for such studies to date. Using identified DEGs, we performed pathway, upstream and protein-protein interaction analysis. We identified 1046 DEGs, of which a majority (739/1046) were downregulated in PD. YWHAZ and other genes coding 14–3-3 proteins are identified as important DEGs in signaling pathways and in protein-protein interaction networks (PPIN). Perturbed pathways also include mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. There was a significant overlap in DEGs between PD and AD, and over 99% of these were differentially expressed in the same up or down direction across the diseases. REST was identified as an upstream regulator in both diseases. Our study demonstrates that PD and AD share significant common DEGs and pathways, and identifies novel genes, pathways and upstream regulators which may be important targets for therapy in both diseases

Predictors of hospital discharge and mortality in patients with diabetes and COVID-19: updated results from the nationwide CORONADO study

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: This is an update of the results from the previous report of the CORONADO (Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and Diabetes Outcomes) study, which aims to describe the outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with diabetes hospitalised for coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: The CORONADO initiative is a French nationwide multicentre study of patients with diabetes hospitalised for COVID-19 with a 28-day follow-up. The patients were screened after hospital admission from 10 March to 10 April 2020. We mainly focused on hospital discharge and death within 28 days. RESULTS: We included 2796 participants: 63.7% men, mean age 69.7 ± 13.2 years, median BMI (25th-75th percentile) 28.4 (25.0-32.4) kg/m(2). Microvascular and macrovascular diabetic complications were found in 44.2% and 38.6% of participants, respectively. Within 28 days, 1404 (50.2%; 95% CI 48.3%, 52.1%) were discharged from hospital with a median duration of hospital stay of 9 (5-14) days, while 577 participants died (20.6%; 95% CI 19.2%, 22.2%). In multivariable models, younger age, routine metformin therapy and longer symptom duration on admission were positively associated with discharge. History of microvascular complications, anticoagulant routine therapy, dyspnoea on admission, and higher aspartate aminotransferase, white cell count and C-reactive protein levels were associated with a reduced chance of discharge. Factors associated with death within 28 days mirrored those associated with discharge, and also included routine treatment by insulin and statin as deleterious factors. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: In patients with diabetes hospitalised for COVID-19, we established prognostic factors for hospital discharge and death that could help clinicians in this pandemic period. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04324736

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio

Optimasi Portofolio Resiko Menggunakan Model Markowitz MVO Dikaitkan dengan Keterbatasan Manusia dalam Memprediksi Masa Depan dalam Perspektif Al-Qur`an

Risk portfolio on modern finance has become increasingly technical, requiring the use of sophisticated mathematical tools in both research and practice. Since companies cannot insure themselves completely against risk, as human incompetence in predicting the future precisely that written in Al-Quran surah Luqman verse 34, they have to manage it to yield an optimal portfolio. The objective here is to minimize the variance among all portfolios, or alternatively, to maximize expected return among all portfolios that has at least a certain expected return. Furthermore, this study focuses on optimizing risk portfolio so called Markowitz MVO (Mean-Variance Optimization). Some theoretical frameworks for analysis are arithmetic mean, geometric mean, variance, covariance, linear programming, and quadratic programming. Moreover, finding a minimum variance portfolio produces a convex quadratic programming, that is minimizing the objective function ðð¥with constraintsð ð 𥠥 ðandð´ð¥ = ð. The outcome of this research is the solution of optimal risk portofolio in some investments that could be finished smoothly using MATLAB R2007b software together with its graphic analysis

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI