Vehicle-to-Grid - What is the Benefit for a Sustainable Mobility?

The demand for vehicles in industrialised countries is dropping and the growth rate in developing countries is slowing down rapidly. Driver of this evolution is evidently the current crisis but also the expectation that in the long run oil will not be sufficient and finally. Paper discus about that situation.vehicles, mobility

Effect of crop rotation with grain pearl millet on Pratylenchus penetrans and subsequent potato yields in Quebec

A field study was conducted in Quebec to determine the effect of crop rotation with grain pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) on Pratylenchus penetrans populations and the subsequent yields of two potato cultivars (Solanum tuberosum) when compared with rye and continuous potato with and without fumigation. Pearl millet had a suppressive effect on P. penetrans populations compared with rye but not as much as continuous potato with fumigation. In 2002, total potato yields of cv. Superior and cv. Hilite Russet were negatively correlated with P. penetrans densities at harvest. Total yields of potato cv. Superior were increased by 123 and 229% following pearl millet and fumigation, respectively, compared with rye. Total yields of potato cv. Hilite Russet increased by 26 and 17% following pearl millet and fumigation. Grain pearl millet CGPM H-1 reduced P. penetrans densities and improved potato yields in Quebec.L’effet d’une rotation avec le millet perlé grain (Pennisetum glaucum) sur les populations de Pratylenchus penetrans et les rendements subséquents de deux variétés de pommes de terre (Solanum tuberosum) a été comparé à des rotations avec le seigle, la pomme de terre et la pomme de terre suivie d’une fumigation. Le millet a eu un effet suppressif sur les populations de P. penetrans comparativement au seigle, mais à un degré moindre que la fumigation. En 2002, les rendements de pommes de terre cv. Superior et cv. Hilite Russet étaient négativement corrélés avec les densités à la récolte du P. penetrans. Les rendements de pomme de terre cv. Superior ont été accrus respectivement de 123 et de 229 % après la culture de millet et la fumigation comparativement au seigle. Les rendements de pomme de terre cv. Hilite Russet ont été accrus respectivement de 26 et de 17 % après la culture de millet perlé et la fumigation. Le millet perlé grain CGPM H-1 a réduit les densités du P. penetrans et accru les rendements de pommes de terre au Québec

Small critical RNAs in the scrapie agent

Unconventional infectious agents cause transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) diseases including scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in animals and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. The protein only hypothesis claims that the TSE agent is composed solely of the protein called prion (PrP^sc^)^1^. This protein is the misfolded form of a host-encoded cellular protein, PrP^c^ exerting presumably a vital role at the synapse^2^. Even though now widely accepted, the prion concept fails to provide in certain circumstances^3-6^, a satisfying interpretation of the infectious phenomenon. Using the 263K scrapie-hamster model, we conducted a transmission study to search for a putative prion-associated factor indispensable for infectivity. Here we show that innocuous recombinant prion protein (recPrP) was capable, in a reproducible manner, of transmitting scrapie disease when the protein was [beta]–sheet converted in a solution containing PrP^sc^-derived RNA material. Analysis of the PrP-RNA mixture revealed the association of recPrP with two prominent populations of small RNA molecules having an average length of about ~27 and ~55 nucleotides. We conclude that the nature of the TSE agent seems to be composed of a nucleoprotein molecular complex, in which informative RNA molecules of small sizes are associated with the misfolded prion protein (PrP^sc^)

The new mobility paradigm: transformation of value chain and business models

We would like to thank Philipp Schwarz and Julia Gückel for their dedicated support in preparing this paper and our colleagues and students of the School of Engineering and the Business School for our fruitful discussions.Four categories of innovations have been identified by Freeman and Perez: incremental innovations, radical innovations, new technological systems (systemic innovations), and technological revolutions or new techno-economic paradigms. New techno-economic paradigms represent changes in technological systems that are so far-reaching in their effects that they have a major influence on the behaviour of the entire economy. Scarcity of oil and external costs like global warming are the key arguments and the main drivers of the change of the current paradigm. They will affect especially the mobility of individuals and the interlinked business models. Novel business models within newly created markets will raise e.g. extended mobility services, activities aiming at the infrastructure, new opportunities in the field of energy transmission and supply and even new strategies of recycling, reusing or reducing the use of resources in order to address global scarcity issues. Especially for the established players of the automotive industry like original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) or 1st and 2nd tier suppliers this implicates opportunities and risks at the same time. But also new players will get the chance to create and enter new markets with new or extended products or services and lead the new value chain. This paper compiles and evaluates current approaches and business models of selected OEMs together with upcoming players. Additionally their positions within the existing value chain are being analyzed and classified. Bringing together the identified drivers of changes with current trends within the automotive industry the authors also show new concepts of extended business models, e.g. the idea of an ecosystem, that have the potential to cause an additional shift of power within the global mobility value chain

Stratégie industrielle pour un écosystème en émergence : le cas de la mobilité 2.0, décarbonée, intermodale et collaborative

L’industrie automobile traditionnelle subit la triple pression de l’évolution géographique des zones de marchés, des changements socio-culturels des consommateurs et des politiques publiques en faveur du développement durable. Les demandes ne s’orientent plus uniquement vers l’achat particulier d’un produit automobile, mais vers l’usage d’une mobilité moins coûteuse, 2.0, décarbonée, intermodale et collaborative. Dans ce contexte en rupture, nous nous interrogeons sur la capacité d’adaptation organisationnelle et stratégique des entreprises qui constituent l’industrie automobile actuelle. En référence à d’autres secteurs qui ont connu des évolutions radicales de leurs business modèles, nous proposons une approche organisationnelle basée sur l’identification d’écosystèmes d’affaires et la mise en œuvre de stratégies de façonnage.The traditional automotive industry is under a triple pressure due to the geographical evolution of different world markets and the consumers sociocultural changes as well as the public policies which are supporting sustainable development. The demands are not solely directed towards the purchase of a particular automobile product any more but towards the use of a cheaper, 2.0, low-carbon, intermodal and collaborative mobility. Within this disruptive context, we question the organizational and strategic adaptation ability of companies in the actual automotive industry. In reference to other sectors that experienced comparable radical changes in their business models, we propose an organizational approach based on business ecosystems and an implementation of shaping strategies

Modeling Collective Animal Behavior with a Cognitive Perspective: A Methodological Framework

The last decades have seen an increasing interest in modeling collective animal behavior. Some studies try to reproduce as accurately as possible the collective dynamics and patterns observed in several animal groups with biologically plausible, individual behavioral rules. The objective is then essentially to demonstrate that the observed collective features may be the result of self-organizing processes involving quite simple individual behaviors. Other studies concentrate on the objective of establishing or enriching links between collective behavior researches and cognitive or physiological ones, which then requires that each individual rule be carefully validated. Here we discuss the methodological consequences of this additional requirement. Using the example of corpse clustering in ants, we first illustrate that it may be impossible to discriminate among alternative individual rules by considering only observational data collected at the group level. Six individual behavioral models are described: They are clearly distinct in terms of individual behaviors, they all reproduce satisfactorily the collective dynamics and distribution patterns observed in experiments, and we show theoretically that it is strictly impossible to discriminate two of these models even in the limit of an infinite amount of data whatever the accuracy level. A set of methodological steps are then listed and discussed as practical ways to partially overcome this problem. They involve complementary experimental protocols specifically designed to address the behavioral rules successively, conserving group-level data for the overall model validation. In this context, we highlight the importance of maintaining a sharp distinction between model enunciation, with explicit references to validated biological concepts, and formal translation of these concepts in terms of quantitative state variables and fittable functional dependences. Illustrative examples are provided of the benefits expected during the often long and difficult process of refining a behavioral model, designing adapted experimental protocols and inversing model parameters

Metabolic and inflammatory profile in obese patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: Overweight and obesity have been associated with better survival in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). On the other hand, excess body weight is associated with abnormal metabolic and inflammatory profiles that define the metabolic syndrome and predispose to cardiovascular diseases. This study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of overweight and obesity on the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and on the metabolic and inflammatory profiles in patients with COPD. Methods: Twenty-eight male patients with COPD were divided into an overweight/obese group [n 16, body mass index (BMI) 33.5 4.2 kg/m2] and normal weight group (n 12, BMI 21.1 2.6 kg/m2). Anthropometry, pulmonary function and body composition were assessed. The metabolic syndrome was diagnosed according to waist circumference, circulating levels of triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, fasting glycemia and blood pressure. C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-), interleukin-6 (IL-6), leptin and adiponectin plasma levels were measured. Results: Airflow obstruction was less severe in overweight/obese compared with normal weight patients (forced expiratory volume1: 51 19% versus 31 12% predicted, respectively, P 0.01). The metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 50% of overweight/obese patients and in none of the normal weight patients. TNF-, IL-6 and leptin were significantly higher in overweight/obese patients whereas the adiponectin levels were reduced in the presence of excess weight. Conclusions: The metabolic syndrome was frequent in overweight/obese patients with COPD. Obesity in COPD was associated with a spectrum of metabolic and inflammatory abnormalities

Imaging of response to anti-angiogenic drugs

Les nouveaux traitements, comme les molécules antiangiogéniques, agissent sur des cibles spécifiques. Leur effet sur la taille tumorale est parfois absent ou retardé. De nouvelles techniques d’imagerie fonctionnelle s’intéressent à une caractéristique physiologique plutôt que la taille tumorale, et pourraient mettre en évidence des modifications en réponse au traitement apparaissant plus précocement. L’imagerie dynamique de la microcirculation suit la biodistribution d’un agent de contraste, et analyse la vascularisation tumorale. L’imagerie par résonance magnétique pondérée en diffusion permet de distinguer l’eau libre, de l’eau restreinte dans les tissus, reflétant la cellularité tumorale. L’imagerie par résonance magnétique par effet BOLD reflète l’oxygénation tissulaire en quantifiant le rapport déoxy/oxyhémoglobine. Les études testant ces techniques sont cependant préliminaires et nécessitent des études à grande échelle pour évaluer leur rôle dans la réponse aux traitements ciblés en oncologie.New therapies, such as anti-angiogenic drugs, target specific molecules. Their effect on tumor size is sometimes absent or delayed. New techniques of functional imaging do not detect changes in size, but rather a physiological characteristic, and could reveal changes in response to treatment which arise earlier. Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) imaging follows the biodistribution of a contrast agent and analyzes tumor vascularization. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging quantifies restriction to diffusion of water in tissues, reflecting tumor cellularity. BOLD magnetic resonance imaging reflects tissue oxygenation by quantifying the ratio between deoxygenated and oxygenated hemoglobin. Studies testing these techniques are still preliminary. It is therefore necessary to organize large scale studies to evaluate their potential role in response to targeted therapies in oncology