Energy saving potentials in historic buildings’ renovations ::to which extent is the heating demand limit value (SIA 380/1) reachable and at which costs?

The renovation of historic buildings is essential to meet the Swiss objectives for energy consumption in 2050. These buildings offer a great saving potential, however, the heritage preservation has to be considered in the renovation scenarios. While essential for the historic conservation, this consideration restricts the renovation possibilities to achieve the heating demand requirements according to the SIA 380/1 standard. This study introduces a framework for identifying the suitable historic buildings’ renovation schemes considering life cycle costs, energy and life cycle environmental impacts. With a case study, the feasibility of achieving the energy performance SIA 380/1 standard is then discussed

Cognitive Efficacy of Quetiapine in Early-Onset First-Episode Psychosis: A 12-Week Open Label Trial

Twenty-three adolescents with psychotic disorders, aged from 13 to 18years, participated in a 12-week open label trial (17 adolescents completed the study) in order to examine the impact of quetiapine on clinical status and cognitive functions (encompassing processing speed, attention, short-term memory, long-term memory and executive function). An improvement in Clinical Global Impression and Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (P's≤0.001) was observed. In addition, after controlling for amelioration of symptoms, a significant improvement was observed on one executive function (P=0.044; Trail Making Part B). The remaining cognitive abilities showed stability. In addition, we observed an interaction between quetiapine doses (>300mg/day or <300mg/day) and time, where lower doses showed more improvement in verbal short-term memory (P=0.048), inhibition abilities (P=0.038) and positive symptoms (P=0.020). The neuropsychological functioning of adolescents with psychotic disorders remained mainly stable after 12weeks of treatment with quetiapine. However, lower doses seemed to have a better impact on two components of cognition (inhibition abilities and verbal short-term memory) and on positive symptom

Detection of label-free cancer biomarkers using nickel nanoislands and quartz crystal microbalance

We present a technique for the label-free detection and recognition of cancer biomarkers using metal nanoislands intended to be integrated in a novel type of nanobiosensor. His-tagged (scFv)-F7N1N2 is the antibody fragment which is directly immobilized, by coordinative bonds, onto ~5 nm nickel islands, then deposited on the surface of a quartz crystal of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to validate the technique. Biomarker GTPase RhoA was investigated because it has been found to be overexpressed in various tumors and because we have recently isolated and characterized a new conformational scFv which selectively recognizes the active form of RhoA. We implemented a surface chemistry involving an antibiofouling coating of polyethylene glycol silane (PEG-silane) (<2 nm thick) and Ni nanoislands to reach a label-free detection of the active antigen conformation of RhoA, at various concentrations. The methodology proposed here proves the viability of the concept by using Ni nanoislands as an anchoring surface layer enabling the detection of a specific conformation of a protein, identified as a potential cancer biomarker. Hence, this novel methodology can be transferred to a nanobiosensor to detect, at lower time consumption and with high sensitivity, specific biomolecules

Exclusion from the Golgi and very low levels of HTLV-2 Tax ubiquitination do not prevent IKK-gamma/NEMO relocalization and NF-κB activation

International audiencen.

Revue des réglementations applicables au stockage et au transport des matières dangereuses au Québec

Industrial activity requires the production and the use of dangerous goods in the chemical plants. It also requires their transport between these installations. These products induce risks on the plants sites, but also between them, because of their transport while passing by the temporary storage sites and the loading and unloading activities. This report presents a review of regulations applicable to storage, handling, and transportation of dangerous goods in Quebec. These various laws/regulations will force the logistic choices of the companies which produce, use or transport dangerous goods (for example, obligation of a transport mode for particular dangerous goods, threshold quantity imposed for storage, obligation to transport, etc…). Thus, in the first part, we analyzed the regulations concerning public safety, environment, transport and work safety and security. We also flew over the American regulations taking into account the proximity of Canada with this country and the importance of north-south transport flow. In the second part of this report, we were more interested to explain the possible similarities, disparities and contradictions between each analyzed regulation. The complete version of this publication is confidential. NOTE This research was carried out within the framework of the research project GLOBAL. The objective of the “GLOBAL” research project set up by INERIS (National Institute of the Industrial Environment and the Risks) in France is to develop a methodology to evaluate the risk of storage and transportation of dangerous goods. Actually, industrial activity requires the production and the use of dangerous goods in the chemical plants. It also requires their transport between these installations. These products induce risks on the plants sites, but also between them, because of their transport. Today, regulations constrain on one hand chemical plants to minimise their risks and on the other hand the transport of dangerous goods. This is in this context that the present GLOBAL project will examine how the logistic strategies of the industrialists can influence the risks due to the transport of dangerous goods. For example, by minimising the quantities stored in the fixed installations, does one increase the risks due to transport and in this case, up to what extent? Thus the main objectives of the research are: first to examine new risks assessments methods in order top provide harmonised quantification of the chemical risks and to propose possible policies for the global decrease of risks. The collaboration of the CIRANO and the École Polytechnique de Montréal to the GLOBAL project consist, on the one hand, of several operations performed jointly with INERIS (our team taking care of the application in Quebec of these operations): Description of the activities of storage and transportation of dangerous goods (meetings with actors of the logistics chain of dangerous goods + survey by questionnaires) (operation A). Review of regulations applicable to the storage and transportation of dangerous goods (operation B); Review of existing databases on the accidents implicating dangerous goods (operation C); In addition, our team will work on the two following research themes: Economic evaluation of the costs of the transport of dangerous goods Analysis of the logistic strategies in a context of storage and transport of dangerous goods and economic incentive. It consist actually in trying to understand which are the costs associated with transport of dangerous goods and on the other hand understand the arbitration made by facilities in their logistic strategies, for example, transport versus storage but also in the choices of carriers, choice of itineraries, choice of transport mode,…. We would like to measure the economic cost of the transport of the dangerous goods, to know the factors which influence the logistic choices (for example, necessary training of the workers, working conditions, history of accidents, comparison of the amount of CSST premium, reputation of the carriers, etc.) and to evaluate if the fact of having a total knowledge of the risk (storage and transport) and of its potential impacts would modify the global decisions. The purpose is to study a few cases which might induce a transfer of risk from the fixed installations towards freight vehicles of dangerous goods, for example by decreasing the quantity stored in the fixed installations and by increasing the quantity stored temporarily in the bulks. It will consist in understanding the mechanisms of the transfer, judging their interest and their disadvantages, finding means of avoiding them if the disadvantages are significant, and then considering solutions of global management of the dangerous goods. This report presents the operation B of the GLOBAL project, i.e. “Review of regulations applicable to storage, handling, and transportation of dangerous goods in Quebec” (regulations concerning public safety, environment, transport and work safety and security). L’activité industrielle nécessite la production et l’emploi de matières dangereuses mais aussi le transport de celles-ci entre les installations fixes. Ces matières représentent donc des risques sur les sites industriels mais également entre ces sites du fait de leur transport en passant par les installations de stockage temporaire et les activités de chargement et de déchargement. Ce rapport dresse un état des lieux des réglementations qui s’appliquent au stockage, à la manipulation et au transport de matières dangereuses au Québec. Ces différentes lois/réglementations vont contraindre les choix logistiques des entreprises qui produisent, utilisent ou transportent des matières dangereuses (par exemple, obligation d’un mode de transport pour certaines matières dangereuses, quantité seuil imposée pour le stockage, obligation de transporter, etc…). Ainsi, dans un premier temps, nous avons analysé les réglementations touchant la Sécurité Publique, l’Environnement, le Transport et la Santé Sécurité au Travail. Nous avons survolé également les réglementations américaines compte tenu de la proximité du Canada avec ce pays et surtout de l’importance des flux de transport Nord/Sud. Dans un second temps, nous nous sommes intéressés davantage à expliquer les éventuelles concordances, disparités et contradictions entre chacune des réglementations analysées.) La version complète de ce rapport est confidentielle. NOTE Cette recherche a été effectuée dans le cadre du projet de recherche GLOBAL. L’objectif du projet de recherche « GLOBAL » mis en place par l’INERIS (Institut National de l’Environnement Industriel et des Risques) en France est de développer une méthodologie d’évaluation des risques permettant de prendre en compte globalement les risques liés au stockage et au transport des marchandises dangereuses. Cette méthode devrait permettre d’évaluer les effets des mesures prises en tenant compte des effets induits éventuels. Elle permettra aussi de donner une base plus objective aux décisions publiques en matière de maîtrise des risques technologiques (mesure de l’impact et des effets d’une réglementation existante, mise en place d’une nouvelle réglementation, « coordination » des réglementations existantes sous différents ministères – par exemple, Sécurité Publique, Transport, Santé, Environnement). La collaboration du CIRANO et de l’École Polytechnique de Montréal au projet « GLOBAL » de l’INERIS porte d’une part sur plusieurs opérations effectuées conjointement (notre équipe se chargeant de l’application québécoise de ces opérations) : Description des activités de stockage et de transport des matières dangereuses (rencontres des acteurs de la chaîne logistique de MD + enquête par questionnaires) (opération A); Revue des réglementations applicables au stockage et transport des matières dangereuses (opération B); Revue des bases de données existantes sur les accidents impliquant des matières dangereuses (opération C). D’autre part, notre équipe se chargera des deux volets de recherche suivants : Évaluation économique des coûts du transport de matières dangereuses; Analyse des stratégies logistiques dans un contexte de stockage et de transport de matières dangereuses et incitations économiques. D’une manière générale, il s’agira d’essayer de comprendre quels sont les coûts associés au transport de matières dangereuses et l’arbitrage fait par les entreprises dans leurs choix de stratégies logistiques, d’une part transport versus stockage mais aussi dans les choix des transporteurs, choix des itinéraires, choix du mode de transport,.... Nous allons chercher à savoir comment mesurer le coût économique du transport des produits dangereux et identifier quels sont les facteurs qui influencent les choix logistiques et si le fait d’avoir une connaissance globale du risque (stockage et transport) et de ses impacts potentiels modifierait les décisions. Cette analyse économique des stratégies logistiques des entreprises (contraintes et choix) devrait permettre de mettre en évidence les incitatifs (par le biais ou non de la réglementation) qui permettraient l’atteinte d’un optimum global (coût et risque minimisés). Ce rapport présente l’opération B du projet GLOBAL, c'est-à-dire la revue des réglementations applicables au stockage et au transport des matières dangereuses au Québec (réglementations touchant la Sécurité Publique, l’Environnement, le Transport et la Santé-Sécurité au Travail).dangerous goods, transport, storage, regulations, logistic, strategy, matières dangereuses, transport, stockage, réglementations, logistique, stratégie

Methodology for cost-effective energy and carbon emissions optimization in building renovation (Annex 56)

"Energy in Buildings and Communities Programme, March 2017"Buildings are responsible for a major share of energy use and have been a special target in the global actions for climate change mitigation, with measures that aim at improving their energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and increase renewable energy use. The IEA-EBC Annex 56 project «Cost-Effective Energy and Carbon Emissions Optimization in Building Renovation» intends to develop the basics for future standards, which aim at maximizing effects on reducing carbon emissions and primary energy use while taking into account the cost-effectiveness of related measures. The IEA EBC Annex 56 project pays special attention to cost effective energy related renovation of existing residential buildings and low-tech office buildings (without air conditioning systems).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Identification of antifungal compounds from the Root Bark of Cordia anisophylla J.S. Mill.

The dichloromethane extract of the root bark of the Panamanian plant Cordia anisophylla J.S. Mill. (Boraginaceae) presented antifungal activity against a susceptible strain of Candida albicans in a bioautography primary screening. The susceptible strain was used to detect minor active compounds that would not have been detected using a classical approach. In order to identify the antimicrobial compounds, the active extract was fractionated by semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography and the fractions were submitted to the antifungal bioassay. This procedure enabled a precise localization of the antifungal compounds directly in the chromatogram of the crude extract and allowed for an efficient, targeted isolation. Four compounds were isolated, one of which is a new natural product. The structures were elucidated using spectroscopic methods. Their antifungal properties were evaluated by determination of the minimum inhibitory quantity and concentration by bioautography and dilution assay against a wild type strain of C. albicans

Low levels of HTLV-2 Tax conjugation to ubiquitin and SUMO do not impede Tax-mediated activation of NF-κB

International audienc