Response of breeding European Storm Petrels to habitat change

International audienceMainly through trampling and manuring, ground-nesting seabirds induced significant habitat changes both on vegetation cover and soil in one of the largest French colonies of European Storm Petrel , Habitat deterioration led to a high level of erosion and the collapse of many former Rabbit burrows previously occupied by breeding Storm Petrels. The loss of burrows accelerated in recent years since Great Cormorants bred on the islet with growing numbers. The main consequence of this disturbance was at first shifting of breeding Storm Petrels from burrows to rocky sites, reflecting some behavioral plasticity to buffer environmental variability. But over 18 years, a significant decrease in breeding numbers of Storm Petrels was recorded and attributed to continuous nest site destruction. Thus, other behavioral responses were also suspected, such as temporary non-breeding or emigration of birds that have to find a new nest site. Such a problem of heavy erosion and loss of nesting habitat could induce serious detrimental effects on burrowing seabirds breeding in a limited number of colonies

Planification d'expériences numériques à partir du processus ponctuel de Strauss

In the computer experiments setting, Space-Filling Designs (SFDs) are widely used to explore the complex relationship between inputs and outputs. In this paper, a new SFD is initially defined with the help of the Strauss process. Through Markov chain Monte-Carlo (McMC) methods, more general Gibbs processes can be used to perform different goals. We will see that it is easy to sample over the entire range of each input variable as Latin hypercubes do it. Moreover, non-homogeneous designs can be constructed to take account of a priori information

Map design for visually impaired people: past, present, and future research

International audienceOrientation and mobility are amongst the most important challenges for visually impaired people. Tactile maps can provide them with spatial knowledge of their environment, thereby reducing fear related to travelling in space. To date, raised-line paper maps have been used to make geographic information accessible, but these paper maps have significant limitations with regards to content and the presentation of information. Recent advances in technology may help to design usable interactive maps that overcome such limitations. In this paper, we first review different accessible map concepts. We then present our design of an interactive map prototype, and provide evidence of this interactive map’s high user satisfaction and efficiency as compared to a regular raised-line paper map. To conclude, we suggest that advances in interactive technologies (e.g., haptic touch surfaces) provide a unique opportunity to design usable maps in the near future

Central and storage carbon metabolism of the brown alga Ectocarpus siliculosus: insights into the origin and evolution of storage carbohydrates in Eukaryotes

International audienceBrown algae exhibit a unique carbon (C) storage metabolism. The photoassimilate d‐fructose 6‐phosphate is not used to produce sucrose but is converted into d‐mannitol. These seaweeds also store C as β‐1,3‐glucan (laminarin), thus markedly departing from most living organisms, which use α‐1,4‐glucans (glycogen or starch).Using a combination of bioinformatic and phylogenetic approaches, we identified the candidate genes for the enzymes involved in C storage in the genome of the brown alga Ectocarpus siliculosus and traced their evolutionary origins.Ectocarpus possesses a complete set of enzymes for synthesis of mannitol, laminarin and trehalose. By contrast, the pathways for sucrose, starch and glycogen are completely absent.The synthesis of β‐1,3‐glucans appears to be a very ancient eukaryotic pathway. Brown algae inherited the trehalose pathway from the red algal progenitor of phaeoplasts, while the mannitol pathway was acquired by lateral gene transfer from Actinobacteria. The starch metabolism of the red algal endosymbiont was entirely lost in the ancestor of Stramenopiles. In light of these novel findings we question the validity of the ‘Chromalveolate hypothesis’

High quality factor nitride-based optical cavities: microdisks with embedded GaN/Al(Ga)N quantum dots

We compare the quality factor values of the whispery gallery modes of microdisks incorporating GaN quantum dots (QDs) grown on AlN and AlGaN barriers by performing room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The PL measurements show a large number of high Q factor (Q) resonant modes on the whole spectrum which allows us to identify the different radial mode families and to compare them with simulations. We report a considerable improvement of the Q factor which reflect the etching quality and the relatively low cavity loss by inserting QDs into the cavity. GaN/AlN QDs based microdisks show very high Q values (Q > 7000) whereas the Q factor is only up to 2000 in microdisks embedding QDs grown on AlGaN barrier layer. We attribute this difference to the lower absorption below bandgap for AlN barrier layers at the energies of our experimental investigation

Kin'touch: understanding how visually impaired people explore tactile maps

International audienceTactile or interactive maps are largely used as an orientation aid for visually impaired people. Yet, little is known about haptic exploration strategies and their influence on the resultant cognitive mapping. We have designed a prototype with the potential to automatically analyze different users' exploration strategies. This prototype integrates data from the MS Kinect camera and a multi-touch table. It registers location of hands and digits on a tactile map. Results of preliminary studies show that this approach is promising

Interannual variability of CO2 fluxes, growth and yield by a winter wheat crop (Triticum aestivum L.)

In this study, two winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping seasons were compared at the Lonzée (Belgium) experimental site. The site, crop management, sowing and harvest dates were similar on the two years. The main difference between the seasons was due to to climate conditions. Continuous eddy-covariance fluxes, leaf scale photosynthesis measurements and crop development monitoring were performed during the whole vegetation periods. Globally, the two years were characterised by a higher than normal air temperature (9.9 °C and 11.9 °C respectively against 9.4 °C for standard) and lower than normal rainfalls (595.1 mm and 675.1 mm respectively against 772 mm for standard). In addition, the second season (2006-2007) was characterised by an exceptionally mild winter, dry and hot conditions in April and by humid and cloudy conditions during the last vegetation phases. These particular conditions induced earlier growth stages and the comparison of global fluxes gives contrasting results: gross primary productivity (GPP) was larger in 2007 but, on the contrary, net primary productivity (NPP) and crop productivity were lower on this year. The bad yields could be explained, on one hand by the drought in April 2007 that induced abnormally small flag leaves, on the other hand by cloudy and humid conditions from end May to harvest, that induced an assimilation reduction due to low radiation and favoured disease development. The simultaneous higher GPP and lower NPP and productivity in 2006-2007 raise the question of carbon allocation. It suggests that the excess carbon assimilated in 2006-2007 was not stored in grain or straw and thus that it would have been stored in the roots or in vegetation parts that decompose before the harvest. Further biomass measurements (and especially root biomass) are necessary to confirm this hypothesis.Impact de la gestion culturale et du climat sur les flux de CO2, le développement et le rendement de grandes culture

Interannual variability of CO2 fluxes and yield by a winter wheat crop (Triticum aestivum L.)

In this study, two winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping seasons were compared at the Lonzée (Belgium) experimental site. The site, crop management, sowing and harvest dates were similar on the two years. The main difference between the seasons was due to to climate conditions. Continuous eddy-covariance fluxes, leaf scale photosynthesis measurements and crop development monitoring were performed during the whole vegetation periods. Globally, the two years were characterised by a higher than normal air temperature (9.9 °C and 11.9 °C respectively against 9.4 °C for standard) and lower than normal rainfalls (595.1 mm and 675.1 mm respectively against 772 mm for standard). In addition, the second season (2006-2007) was characterised by an exceptionally mild winter, dry and hot conditions in April and by humid and cloudy conditions during the last vegetation phases. These particular conditions induced earlier growth stages and the comparison of global fluxes gives contrasting results: gross primary productivity (GPP) was larger in 2007 but, on the contrary, net primary productivity (NPP) and crop productivity were lower on this year. The bad yields could be explained, on one hand by the drought in April 2007 that induced abnormally small flag leaves, on the other hand by cloudy and humid conditions from end May to harvest, that induced an assimilation reduction due to low radiation and favoured disease development. The simultaneous higher GPP and lower NPP and productivity in 2006-2007 raise the question of carbon allocation. It suggests that the excess carbon assimilated in 2006-2007 was not stored in grain or straw and thus that it would have been stored in the roots or in vegetation parts that decompose before the harvest. Further biomass measurements (and especially root biomass) are necessary to confirm this hypothesis.Impact de la gestion culturale et du climat sur les flux de CO2, le développement et le rendement de grandes culture

Impact of climatic conditions on a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum Sp.) crop : interannual variability of CO2 fluxes, plant growth and crop yield

This study analyses the interannual variability of carbon dioxide fluxes, growth and productivity of a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop. Two growing seasons (2004-2005 and 2006-2007) were compared. Continuous eddy covariance fluxes, leaf scale photosynthesis measurements and crop development monitoring were performed during the two vegetation seasons until harvest at the Lonzée (Belgium) experimental site. The winter wheat was sown and harvested at similar dates (about mid-October and in early August); crop management by the farmer was similar and corresponded at standard. Globally, the two years were characterised by a higher than normal air temperature (9.9 °C and 11.9 °C against 9.4 °C) and lower than normal rainfalls (595.1 mm and 675.1 mm against 772 mm). In addition, 2006-2007 was characterised by exceptionally mild and dry winter and spring. This induced not only earlier growth stages but also a larger Gross Primary Productivity. On the contrary, lower Net Primary Productivity and crop productivity were observed on this year. This could be explained, on one hand by the drought in April 2007 and on the other hand to cloudy and humid conditions from end May to harvest. The first induced a stress in wheat plant which produced an unusually small flag leaf. The second induced an assimilation reduction due to low radiation and favoured disease development. The higher GPP and the lower productivity in 2006-2007 raise the question of carbon allocation. We supposed that, as the excess of carbon assimilated in 2006-2007 was not stored in grain or straw, it should have been stored in the roots. However, our biomass measurements did not allow confirming this hypothesi

Lung transplantation benefits for terminal lung diseases

peer reviewedLung transplantation is an established treatment of pulmonary diseases at an advanced stage. The purpose of our study is to present the benefits, indications and complications of this surgical procedure in the CHU of Liege. The cohort includes 14 patients transplanted between 2005 and 2009, and who were inserted in a pulmonary rehabilitation programme at the university hospital of Liege. The criteria of assessment are the values of respiratory function tests at rest and exercise, and quality of life. Inherent complications related to this type of surgical operation have been collected. We found a dramatic improvement in pulmonary function tests performed at rest both immediately after the transplantation and after 6 months. Likewise exercise capacity was already increased shortly after the transplantation and further improved 6 months later. As for health related quality of life, parameters that improved the most were dyspnoea and global quality of life, and the improvement was already maximal immediately after the transplantation. Our retrospective study confirms the data of the literature, namely an improvement of respiratory function, effort capacity and quality of life after lung transplantation