New era for the coconut sector. What prospects for research?

For years and years, the main output of the coconut sector on the international market was copra, crude coconut oil (CNO) and its derivatives. However, since approximately 10 years, we see new products so called “non-traditional” products entering global exchanges. The market growth of these products, mainly coconut water extracted from mature or immature nuts, virgin coconut oil (VCO) cold pressed from the fresh kernel, coconut sugar taken from the sap flowing out of the flower, is exponential. They benefit from the healthy, simple and natural image that is conveyed by the coconut tree in the subconscious minds of the consumers. The craze for this new products create also biggest expectative from the consumers towards the coconut stakeholders. This is why this article will also suggest some tracks of reflection for the research and expert’s communities, who would like to support this expansion, thus contributing to the future of the millions of small coconut farmer

Current Filament Formation in Gold Compensated Silicon Pin Diodes

In semiconducting materials with current controlled negative differential conductivity an inhomogeneous current density distribution can arise leading to a well-defined spatial pattern in the form of current filaments. Detailed experiments are performed on silicon pin diodes showing a pronounced multistability in the current voltage characteristics. By using the voltage contrast and the electron beam induced voltage (EBIV) methods in a SEM, it is confirmed that each jump in the current is accompanied with the formation or disappearance of a well defined transverse electrical structure between the two contacts as a result of a current filament. This non-uniform state of the material is found to exhibit a clear solitary structure. The observed voltage oscillations are traced back to instabilities of this spatial structure

De la théorie à la pratique de la séquence Éviter-Réduire-Compenser (ERC) : éviter ou légitimer la perte de biodiversité ?

La séquence Éviter-Réduire-Compenser (ERC) est devenue un instrument réglementaire important visant à concilier aménagement et préservation de l’environnement. Le succès de son application dépend notamment de l’interprétation des textes normatifs nationaux par les acteurs du territoire. Dans cet article, nous nous intéressons à l’interprétation des définitions des étapes ERC inscrites dans la doctrine nationale. L’analyse de 42 études d’impact permet de montrer qu’il existe une forte hétérogénéité d’interprétation : 60 % des mesures proposées ne correspondent pas aux définitions normatives. Ces confusions pouvant réduire l’efficacité écologique de la séquence, nous suggérons des voies d’amélioration en faveur d’une plus grande cohésion entre les définitions et les mesures proposées.The mitigation hierarchy has become a major regulatory tool to balance urban development with environmental interest. Notably, the success of its implementation is based on the interpretation of such politics by practitioners. In this manuscript, we focus on the interpretation of French normative definitions of the three steps in the mitigation hierarchy : i.e. avoidance, reduction et offsetting. The analysis of 42 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) highlights important heterogeneity among interpretations : 60 % of the proposed measures in EIAs do not fit with the normative definitions. These confusions could have a negative impact on the ecological efficiency of the mitigation hierarchy. Therefore, we suggest several solutions to improve cohesion between the normative definitions et proposed measures in practice

De la théorie à la pratique de la séquence Éviter-Réduire-Compenser (ERC) : éviter ou légitimer la perte de biodiversité ?

La séquence Éviter-Réduire-Compenser (ERC) est devenue un instrument réglementaire important visant à concilier aménagement et préservation de l’environnement. Le succès de son application dépend notamment de l’interprétation des textes normatifs nationaux par les acteurs du territoire. Dans cet article, nous nous intéressons à l’interprétation des définitions des étapes ERC inscrites dans la doctrine nationale. L’analyse de 42 études d’impact permet de montrer qu’il existe une forte hétérogénéité d’interprétation : 60 % des mesures proposées ne correspondent pas aux définitions normatives. Ces confusions pouvant réduire l’efficacité écologique de la séquence, nous suggérons des voies d’amélioration en faveur d’une plus grande cohésion entre les définitions et les mesures proposées.The mitigation hierarchy has become a major regulatory tool to balance urban development with environmental interest. Notably, the success of its implementation is based on the interpretation of such politics by practitioners. In this manuscript, we focus on the interpretation of French normative definitions of the three steps in the mitigation hierarchy : i.e. avoidance, reduction et offsetting. The analysis of 42 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) highlights important heterogeneity among interpretations : 60 % of the proposed measures in EIAs do not fit with the normative definitions. These confusions could have a negative impact on the ecological efficiency of the mitigation hierarchy. Therefore, we suggest several solutions to improve cohesion between the normative definitions et proposed measures in practice

Enhancing Eco-Engineering of Coastal Infrastructure with Eco-Design: Moving from Mitigation to Integration

Eco-design aims to enhance eco-engineering practices of coastal infrastructure projects in support of ecological functions before these projects are developed and implemented. The principle is to integrate eco-engineering concepts in the early phases of project design. Although ecological losses are inherent in any construction project, the goal of eco-design is to introduce environmental considerations upfront during technical design choices, and not just afterwards when evaluating the need for reduction or compensatory mitigation. It seeks to reduce the negative impacts of marine infrastructure by introducing a new reflexive civil engineering approach. It requires a valuation of nature with the aim of reducing impacts by incorporating intelligent design and habitat-centered construction. The principle advocated in this paper is to design coastal infrastructures, at micro- to macro-biological scales, using a combination of fine and large scale physical and chemical modifications to hard substrates, within the scope of civil engineering requirements. To this end, we provide a brief introduction to the factors involved in concrete-biota interactions and propose several recommendations as a basis to integrate ecology into civil engineering projects, specifically addressed to concrete

Exploring what works in art therapy with children with autism:Tacit knowledge of art therapists

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are often referred to art therapy. To investigate what works in art therapy with these children 'tacit knowledge' of eight well experienced art therapists was explored. Promising components were arranged into the Context and Outcomes of Art Therapy (COAT) model. According to the respondents art therapy contributes with children with ASD to become more flexible and expressive, more relaxed, and more easy talking about their problems in the therapeutic setting as well as in their home situation. Considering the type of evidence in this study, further empirical research into the process and outcomes of art therapy with ASD children is strongly recommended

Lack of Correlation of Sinonasal and Otologic Reported Symptoms With Objective Measurements Among Patients With Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia: An International Study.

peer reviewedSinonasal and otologic symptoms are common among patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) of all ages. We used baseline data from the ENT Prospective International Cohort of PCD patients (EPIC-PCD), the first PCD cohort focused on ENT disease manifestations. We assessed agreement between patient- or parent-reported symptoms and relevant examination findings, and calculated unweighted Cohen’s kappa to adjust for agreement by chance. We included 404 participants, from 12 centres. We found no correlation between patient-reported sinonasal symptoms and relevant clinical examination findings. Otologic symptoms correlated poorly or weakly with otoscopy and audiometry findings, with age and centre identified as determinants of agreement