Utilisation des TIC dans le domaine de l’autisme pour favoriser la communication et la reconnaissance des émotions

Ce mémoire vise à analyser l’utilisation des nouvelles technologies auprès des enfants atteints d’un trouble du spectre autistique. L’accent est particulièrement mis sur les facteurs qui contribuent à l’amélioration des habiletés communicatives et émotionnelles, en rapport principalement à trois technologies, les appareils à synthèse vocale, les ordinateurs ainsi que les tablettes numériques et tactiles. Cette étude ce focalise sur la compréhension des facteurs facilitant l’amélioration de ces deux habiletés ainsi que sur les limites de ces technologies. Pour répondre à nos questionnements, nous nous sommes basés sur trois entretiens exploratoires et sur une analyse de la littérature scientifique. Notre analyse a aussi mentionné deux autres technologies : la réalité virtuelle et la robotique dans le but de présenter aussi des technologies innovantes moins connues dans le traitement de ce trouble. Les principaux résultats de ce mémoire démontrent comment ces habiletés peuvent être améliorées grâce à l’utilisation des nouvelles technologies. Un point important ressorti dans cette analyse est l’aspect novateur des tablettes en ce qui concerne les bénéfices pour les personnes avec un trouble du spectre autistique (TSA). Cela contribue à mettre en évidence la nécessité d’approfondir les recherches traitant ces utilisations avec la création de nouvelles études scientifiques

Evolução da gestão da sustentabilidade: revisão da literatura e modelo consolidativo

Companies, as key actors in society, have been pressured to change the way they do business to integrate sustainability into their daily practices and to disclose their impacts and contributions to sustainable development. In this context, a new organizational competence – sustainability management – related to the way how companies manage and integrate sustainability issues in their core business, becomes relevant. Therefore, to understand how this competence is built or evolve over time is of major importance for their applicability. Sustainability or environmental management evolution is not new, however the extant literature points out that it is still incipient, it does not explain clearly how companies change their environmental stance over time or provide detailed definition or characteristics of each stage. In this context, this paper aims to understand the current state of sustainability management evolution models updating Kolk and Mauser (2002) work; and to present a consolidative evolution model for sustainability management derived from the complementarity of the identified models. We conclude that it is not indeed a consolidated discussion as there is not consensus regarding type of evolution, pathway followed and the very construct of sustainability.As empresas têm enfrentado pressões para integrar as questões da sustentabilidade em seu modo de operar e divulgar, externamente, os seus impactos e contribuições para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Neste contexto, a competência de gestão da sustentabilidade - relacionada à forma como uma empresa gerencia e integra os aspectos da sustentabilidade em suas atividades -, torna-se fundamental. Nesse sentido, entender como a gestão da sustentabilidade é construída ao longo do tempo torna-se importante para a sua aplicabilidade na prática organizacional. Apesar de a temática da evolução da gestão ambiental, e mais recentemente, da gestão da sustentabilidade não ser nova, a literatura aponta a existência de algumas lacunas: a falta de explicação clara do caminho percorrido (estágios) para a mudança das posturas ambientais ao longo do tempo; e a falta de detalhamento das características de cada estágio. Assim, este artigo apresenta revisão da literatura sobre os modelos de gestão da sustentabilidade, atualizando e ampliando a revisão elaborada por Kolk and Mauser (2002); e um modelo evolutivo da gestão da sustentabilidade a partir da complementaridade dos modelos identificados. Ademais, conclui-se que o tema da evolução ainda não está consolidado, sobretudo, quanto ao tipo de evolução, ao caminho evolutivo a percorrer e à operacionalização do próprio conceito de sustentabilidade pelos modelos

Microfluidic cartridges preloaded with nanoliter plugs of reagents: an alternative to 96-well plates for screening

In traditional screening with 96-well plates, microliters of substrates are consumed for each reaction. Further miniaturization is limited by the special equipment and techniques required to dispense nanoliter volumes of fluid. Plug-based microfluidics confines reagents in nanoliter plugs (droplets surrounded by fluorinated carrier fluid), and uses simple pumps to control the flow of plugs. By using cartridges pre-loaded with nanoliter plugs of reagents, only two pumps and a merging junction are needed to set up a screen. Screening with preloaded cartridges uses only nanoliters of substrate per reaction, and requires no microfabrication. The low cost and simplicity of this method has the potential of replacing 96-well and other multi-well plates, and has been applied to enzymatic assays, protein crystallization and optimization of organic reactions

Hierarchical CuO/ZnO Membranes for Environmental Applications under the Irradiation of Visible Light

Solar visible light is a source of clean and cheap energy. Herein, a new kind of hierarchical CuO/ZnO nanomaterial was synthesized using a facile process. Characterized by FESEM, TEM, XRD, XPS, and so forth, this CuO/ZnO naomaterial shows a special hierarchical nanostructure with CuO nanoparticles grown on ZnO nanorods. By assembling the hierarchical CuO/ZnO nanomaterials on a piece of commercial glassfiber membrane, a novel hierarchical CuO/ZnO membrane was fabricated. This CuO/ZnO membrane demonstrated excellent environmental applications, such as improved photodegradation of contaminants and antibacterial activity, under the irradiation of visible light. Compared with pure ZnO nanorod membrane, the improved photodegradation and antibacterial capacities of this hierarchical CuO/ZnO membrane result from the special hierarchical nanostructure of CuO/ZnO nanomaterials, which could enhance light utilization rate, enlarge specific surface area, and retard the recombination of electrons and holes at the interfacial between CuO and ZnO. This hierarchical CuO/ZnO membrane is also easy to be regenerated by completely mineralizing the adsorbed contaminants under the irradiation of visible light. All the above characteristics of this hierarchical CuO/ZnO membrane indicate its great potential in environmental applications with solar visible light

Respons Optik Nanopartikel Berbahan Paduan Logam Mulia

Telah dilakukan simulasi mengenai respons optik nanopartikel paduan logam mulia berdasarkan aproksimasi kuasi-statik elektromagnetika klasik. Penentuan spektrum serapan bahan logam (Qabs) digunakan untuk mengetahui efisiensi kinerja bahan logam. Logam yang digunakan diantaranya emas (Au), perak (Ag), tembaga (Cu) dan tungsten (W). kinerja bahan yang ditinjau meliputi logam murni, logam paduan Au-Ag, Au-Cu, Au-W, Ag-Cu, Ag-W dan Cu-W. Nilai logam murni yang paling tinggi adalah perak (Ag) sedangkan logam paduan bergantung dari jenis logam yang dipadukan diantaranya Au-Ag, Ag-Cu dan Ag-W kadar ketercampuran perak sangat mempengaruhi peningkatan kinerja bahan logam paduan, nilai kinerja tertinggi yaitu fraksi molar perak sama dengan 0,8; untuk logam paduan Au-Cu ketercampuran bahan hampir sama rata di mana nilai serapan berada pada fraksi molar 0,4 dan 0,6; untuk logam paduan Au-W ketercampuran bahan emas sangat mempengaruhi kinerja bahan di mana nilai kinerja tertinggi yaitu fraksi molar emas sama dengan 0,8; sedangkan untuk paduan Cu-W nilai ketercampuran tembaga memperngaruhi kinerja bahan logam di mana kinerja tertinggi yaitu fraksi molar tembaga sama dengan 0,8. Ukuran jari-jari logam juga sangat mempengaruhi peningkatan kinerja bahan logam. Hal ini membuktikan bahwa untuk simulasi logam murni Ag dan logam paduan Au-Ag yang dilakukan hampir sama dengan hasil eksperimen Rioux  dkk 2014. Kata Kunci : Nanopartikel, logam paduan, Spektrum serapan (Qabs), kinerja bahan

Microgram-scale testing of reaction conditions in solution using nanoliter plugs in microfluidics with detection by MALDI-MS

This paper describes a microfluidic system to screen and optimize organic reaction conditions on a submicrogram scale. The system uses discrete droplets (plugs) as microreactors separated and transported by a continuous phase of a fluorinated carrier fluid. Previously, we demonstrated the use of a microfabricated PDMS plug-based microfluidic system to perform assays and crystallization experiments in aqueous solutions with optical detection. Here, we developed an approach that does not require microfabrication of microfluidic devices, is applicable to synthetic reactions in organic solvents, and uses detection by MALDI-MS. As a demonstration, conditions for selective deacetylation of ouabain hexaacetate were tested, and the optimum conditions for mono-, bis-, or trisdeacetylation have been identified. These conditions were validated by scale-up reactions and isolating these potentially neurotoxic products. Mono- and bisdeacetylated products are unstable intermediates in the deacetylation and were isolated for the first time. This system enables no-loss handling of submicroliter volumes containing a few micrograms of a compound of interest. It could become valuable for investigating or optimizing reactions of precious substrates (e.g., products of long synthetic sequences and natural products that can be isolated only in small quantities)

An Investigation into the Positive Visual Experience Design for the Elderly

Visual impression is the first impact on human perception through receiving and assessing the external information observed by the eyes. Therefore, product appearance is closely linked to the human’s visual experience and can affect human’s mood throughout the process of information perception and product manipulation. Generally, visual ability declines as age increases, which can lead to visual impairment and unpleasant moods among the elderly. For the elderly, there is a need to improve the quality of the visual experience in design. The aim of this research is to explore feasible methods to discover the consistency between subjective desires and objective environmental reactions in order to provide the optimal pleasurable visual experience conditions for elderly individuals in design. The objectives are 1) To examine the common elderly visual experience features in relation to physiological and psychological effects, specifically reflected in vision, perception, and emotion; 2) To determine a positive visual experience framework for elderly-focused design based on visual experience consideration; 3) To develop positive visual experience assessments and test methods specially designed for the elderly in order to gather information and data about subjective desire and objective reaction to objects; 4) To analyze the results of consistency between subjective preference and objective attraction in order to form a positive visual experience for elderly individuals. This research describes the research process and its findings. Initially, the introduction of the thesis presents the research motivations and background, with its aim and objectives defined. Related literature supporting the research is then examined for further understanding of aging, visual experience and relevant emotional issues, and research methodologies. Based on this understanding of the elderly visual experience and visual experience behavior, along with observations of purchasing processes, interviews with the elderly, and interviews with experts, a set of assessment tools (VPTs) was developed for assessing the elderly visual experience factors from the two perspectives of subjective preference and objective attraction. Based on statistical analysis, the elderly general cognitive features, and a series of positive visual experience factors that affect the emotional mood of the elderly were determined. The results of the investigation contribute to design for the elderly with positive visual experience factors identified for enhancing the elderly satisfaction in their visual experiences and manipulating product design to create a positive emotional state. This VPTs assessment tool can also be recommended as a reference for investigating into other various target groups’ visual experience features

Exploring short-term geomorphic changes and bank retreat evolution in fluvial systems

The geomorphological effectiveness of flood events may highly vary depending on several factors, including discharge, duration, frequency, ordering, environmental conditions, human interference, etc. Precise rates and patterns of change produced by flooding remain largely unknown and unpredictable and multiple sources of error undermine the achievement of accurate estimates of geomorphic variations. Focusing on channel processes, the complex control exerted by riparian vegetation at multiple scales and, in particular, on riverbank dynamics further registers a lack of understanding that may lead to possible misleading approaches to manage fluvial erosion issues. This study primarily seeks to analyse and interpret the geomorphological response of two differently-impacted gravel-bed rivers (Piave and Tagliamento rivers, Italy) to flood events slightly below bankfull discharge. Furthermore, a focus on bank erosion processes on an Australian stream characterized by extensive tree abutments and cohesive scalloped riverbanks (the King River, Victoria) will try to explain the control exerted by riparian vegetation on the evolution of bank retreat. New findings and relationships will help to create a more comprehensive conceptual model describing bank migration past forested riverbanks that will be further tested on the Piave River, offering the possibility of comparing fluvial systems with very different environmental conditions (primarily, cohesive versus non-cohesive sediment). For the detection of geomorphic variations, enhanced DoD models including a precise evaluation of flowing channels, are derived by differencing pre- and post-flood integrated DEMs (LiDAR, dGPS and colour bathymetry). The reliable estimates of change have contributed to effectively quantify planimetric and volumetric adjustments of main channels and major bank removal. On the other hand, bank migration processes were examined on the King River by surveying the characteristics of trees and bank profile spaces to uncover significant relationships explaining the retreat of vegetated riverbanks. Results on geomorphic impacts of floods have confirmed a prevalence of erosion processes in the study reaches of the Piave and Tagliamento rivers, even with a general tendency toward sediment equilibrium. Flooding has caused a nearly total reconfiguration of the main flowing channel network, contributing to erode considerable areas of stably vegetated banks. The analysis on bank migration processes has further found elements and relationships previously unconsidered in bank retreat modelling. Major findings on the King River include the proof that riparian trees mostly grow on the bank face as well as the identification of more complex patterns of hydrological erosion around riparian trees (overcutting and undercutting) suggesting tree toppling by fluvial scour than by mass failure. Further, the progression of scallop depth along riverbanks has confirmed to be fairly influenced by tree spacing, both on the King and the Piave rivers. Discussions debating the impacts of floods have highlighted the ability of events below bankfull discharge to effectively rework the geomorphological structure of river channels at all levels. River changes appear to be also influenced by the physical characteristics of river reaches and human interventions. Moreover, the new findings on bank migration have allowed to fill some gaps of knowledge related to the complex effect of trees on riverbank erosion, leading to propose a more comprehensive conceptual model describing bank retreat evolution in forested cohesive riverbanks. Further parallelisms between King and Piave rivers have demonstrated that scallop depth features similar average magnitudes in both fluvial systems, even though the average effect of tree spacing within individual morphological units (bend- or arc-level) explains better erosion development in the Piave River. The significance of the study lies on the attempt of providing a reliable approach to meaningfully evaluate river geomorphic changes, revealing the high potential of floods also below bankfull discharge to revolutionize channel forms and patterns. The enhanced understanding of crucial channel processes as the reconfiguration of main branches and the control of riparian vegetation on bank retreat can further represent a decisive help to river experts within the complicated issue of managing fluvial systems

Reactions in droplets in microfluidic channels

Fundamental and applied research in chemistry and biology benefits from opportunities provided by droplet-based microfluidic systems. These systems enable the miniaturization of reactions by compartmentalizing reactions in droplets of femoliter to microliter volumes. Compartmentalization in droplets provides rapid mixing of reagents, control of the timing of reactions on timescales from milliseconds to months, control of interfacial properties, and the ability to synthesize and transport solid reagents and products. Droplet-based microfluidics can help to enhance and accelerate chemical and biochemical screening, protein crystallization, enzymatic kinetics, and assays. Moreover, the control provided by droplets in microfluidic devices can lead to new scientific methods and insights