Entre français général, français sur objectifs spécifiques et culture scientifique : le Campus Numérique FORPRINT, FOAD préparatoire à l'intégration dans l'enseignement supérieur.

Les actes peuvent être commandés sur le site Tice 2004 (70€).The goal of our paper is to present Forprint which is, in terms of application and uses, a training for the integration of foreign students in french Universities of Technology & Sciences and Engineering Schools. In terms of cooperation and network, Forprint associates seven institutions of higher education which share a long experience in using ICT in two major fields of education: French as a Foreign Language & for Special Purposes, Sciences & Technology. We want to favour, through -and with the help of- the linguistic learning, an approach which combines, not only autonomy with scaffolding, but also scientific and general culture.Forprint est un Campus numérique destiné à la FOAD d'étudiants scientifiques étrangers, en français et “à la française”. Il associe un ensemble d'établissements de formation et de recherche qui ont créé, sur la base d'une part d'une réflexion et d'une pratique méthodologiques commune privilégiant l'individualisation et l'accompagnement, d'autre part d'une mutualisation des ressources, un dispositif et un ensemble de modules scientifiques et linguistiques visant, dans une phase préparatoire à l'intégration dans l'enseignement supérieur français, à mettre à niveau ces étudiants dans leur (future) spécialité. L'enjeu de l'entreprise est de faire valoir une méthode d'apprentissage linguistique “sur objectifs spécifiques” et une méthodologie d'enseignement scientifique “à la française” qui ne considèrent pas la langue comme un seul outil de communication mais tend à en privilégier les aspects et les dimensions culturels, qu'il s'agisse de culture générale ou de culture spécialisée

Organic matter sources and early diagenetic degradation in a tropical peaty marsh (Tritrivakely, Madagascar). Implications for environmental reconstruction during the Sub-Atlantic

Peat samples from a one metre core and living Cyperaceae, collected in Tritrivakely marsh in Madagascar, were studied to determine the organic matter (OM) composition and extent of OM degradation in this core. The study was carried out combining light microscopy observations, bulk analyses, infra-red spectroscopy, hydrolyses of sugars, oxidation of lignin and pyrolyses. In the surface peat, organic matter derived from Cyperaceae undergoes extensive degradation of its basic cell wall components, morphologically revealed by destructuration of plant tissues and their transformation into reddish amorphous organic matter occurring in large amounts all along the core. Two ratios (cinnamic units/lignin and xylose+arabinose/total sugars) were determined as markers of Cyperaceae. It appeared that the vegetation of the marsh remained probably unchanged during the considered accumulation period, i.e. the last 2300 years B.P. Rhamnose, mannose and non-cellulosic glucose probably have a common origin and are mostly derived from bacteria. In contrast, galactose is likely to be a marker of algal source, especially of the diatoms that occur only in the upper part of the core (0-ca. 50 cm). Acid/aldehyde ratios of syringic and vanillic monomers (index of lignin oxidative depolymerisation) and mannose+rhamnose+non-cellulosic glucose/total sugars ratios (reflecting bacterial degradation of hemicelluloses) are positively correlated, and can thus be considered as markers of microbial degradation of the Cyperaceae tissues. The n-alkane/n-alk-1-ene doublets that dominate the pyrolysates of hydrolysed peat samples reflect the contribution of B. braunii algaenan and higher plant suberans, and of condensed lipids mostly derived from higher plants and microalgae. The upper part of the core is characterised by a greater dilution of Cyperaceae-derived compounds by organic matter from microalgae when compared with deeper samples, as recorded by peat bulk features, hydrolysable sugars, lignin oxidation products and pyrolysis products. Two accumulation periods can thus be distinguished in the core: a peaty phase between 2300 years B.P. and ca. 1500 years B.P. (low watertable and strongly limited microalgal growth); a waterlogged marsh, from ca. 1500 years B.P. to the present time, in which a higher water table was longer lasting with a substantial algal production. The environmental variation thus recorded could correspond to a regional climatic change occurring around 1500 years B.P

Etude du comportement rhéologique et mécanique de composites recyclés et pollués : recyclage iso fonction, rêve ou réalité ? = Study of rheological and mechanical behaviour of recycled and polluted composites : iso function recycling, dream or reality

National audienceNous étudions les effets de la pollution et du recyclage sur deux composites à matrice polypropylène. Ces effets ont été identifiés non seulement par la mesure du poids moléculaire et des propriétés rhéologiques mais aussi sur les caractéristiques mécaniques. Les polluants modèles choisis sont de l'éthylène glycol majoritairement présent dans le liquide de frein et de l'huile moteur. Ils ont été incorporés dans les composites en cours du process d'extrusion. Le recyclage a été simulé en effectuant plusieurs cycles d'extrusions successifs. Les échantillons ont été recyclés de 1 à 12 fois. Toutes ces nuances ont été testées. L'indice de fluidité, la viscosité, les propriétés en traction quasi statique ainsi que en compression dynamique ont été mesurés. Les polluants affectent davantage les propriétés rhéologiques par rapport aux propriétés mécaniques. Le recyclage thermomécanique, quant à lui, est principalement préjudiciable sur le comportement à rupture. Le résultat remarquable concerne l'effet modérateur des polluants sur la dégradation due au recyclage des propriétés des matériaux

Nucleotide diversity of the ZmPox3 maize peroxidase gene: Relationships between a MITE insertion in exon 2 and variation in forage maize digestibility

BACKGROUND: Polymorphisms were investigated within the ZmPox3 maize peroxidase gene, possibly involved in lignin biosynthesis because of its colocalization with a cluster of QTL related to lignin content and cell wall digestibility. The purpose of this study was to identify, on the basis of 37 maize lines chosen for their varying degrees of cell wall digestibility and representative of temperate regions germplasm, ZmPox3 haplotypes or individual polymorphisms possibly associated with digestibility. RESULTS: Numerous haplotypes with high diversity were identified. Frequency of nucleotide changes was high with on average one SNP every 57 bp. Nucleotide diversity was not equally distributed among site categories: the estimated π was on average eight times higher for silent sites than for non-synonymous sites. Numerous sites were in linkage disequilibrium that decayed with increasing physical distance. A zmPox3 mutant allele, carrying an insertion of a transposable element in the second exon, was found in lines derived from the early flint inbred line, F7. This element possesses many structural features of miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITE). The mutant allele encodes a truncated protein lacking important functional sites. An ANOVA performed with a subset of 31 maize lines indicated that the transposable element was significantly associated with cell wall digestibility. This association was confirmed using an additional set of 25 flint lines related to F7. Moreover, RT-PCR experiments revealed a decreased amount of corresponding mRNA in plants with the MITE insertion. CONCLUSION: These results showed that ZmPox3 could possibly be involved in monolignol polymerisation, and that a deficiency in ZmPox3 peroxidase activity seemingly has a negative effect on cell wall digestibility. Also, genetic diversity analyses of ZmPox3 indicated that this peroxidase could be a relevant target for grass digestibility improvement using specific allele introgressions

Competitiveness of Port-Cities: The Case of Marseille-Fos - France

This working paper offers an evaluation of the performance of the port of Marseille-Fos, an analysis of the impact of the port on its territory and an assessment of policies and governance in this field. It examines declining port performance over the last decades and identifies the principal factors that have contributed to it. The effect of the ports on economic and environmental questions is studied and quantified where possible. The value added of the port cluster of Marseille-Fos is calculated and its interlinkages with other economic sectors and other regions in France delineated. The paper outlines the impact of the ports? operations, and shows how their activities spill over into other regions than the one in which the port of Marseille-Fos is located. The major policies governing the ports are assessed, along with policies governing transport and economic development, the environment and spatial planning. These include measures instituted by the port authorities, as well as by local, regional and national governments. Governance mechanisms at these different levels are described and analysed. Based on the report?s findings, recommendations are proposed with a view to improving port performance and increasing the positive effects of the port of Marseille-Fos on its territory

Generation, annotation, analysis and database integration of 16,500 white spruce EST clusters

BACKGROUND: The sequencing and analysis of ESTs is for now the only practical approach for large-scale gene discovery and annotation in conifers because their very large genomes are unlikely to be sequenced in the near future. Our objective was to produce extensive collections of ESTs and cDNA clones to support manufacture of cDNA microarrays and gene discovery in white spruce (Picea glauca [Moench] Voss). RESULTS: We produced 16 cDNA libraries from different tissues and a variety of treatments, and partially sequenced 50,000 cDNA clones. High quality 3' and 5' reads were assembled into 16,578 consensus sequences, 45% of which represented full length inserts. Consensus sequences derived from 5' and 3' reads of the same cDNA clone were linked to define 14,471 transcripts. A large proportion (84%) of the spruce sequences matched a pine sequence, but only 68% of the spruce transcripts had homologs in Arabidopsis or rice. Nearly all the sequences that matched the Populus trichocarpa genome (the only sequenced tree genome) also matched rice or Arabidopsis genomes. We used several sequence similarity search approaches for assignment of putative functions, including blast searches against general and specialized databases (transcription factors, cell wall related proteins), Gene Ontology term assignation and Hidden Markov Model searches against PFAM protein families and domains. In total, 70% of the spruce transcripts displayed matches to proteins of known or unknown function in the Uniref100 database (blastx e-value < 1e-10). We identified multigenic families that appeared larger in spruce than in the Arabidopsis or rice genomes. Detailed analysis of translationally controlled tumour proteins and S-adenosylmethionine synthetase families confirmed a twofold size difference. Sequences and annotations were organized in a dedicated database, SpruceDB. Several search tools were developed to mine the data either based on their occurrence in the cDNA libraries or on functional annotations. CONCLUSION: This report illustrates specific approaches for large-scale gene discovery and annotation in an organism that is very distantly related to any of the fully sequenced genomes. The ArboreaSet sequences and cDNA clones represent a valuable resource for investigations ranging from plant comparative genomics to applied conifer genetics

Differential regulation of Knotted1-like genes during establishment of the shoot apical meristem in Norway spruce (Picea abies)

Establishment of the shoot apical meristem (SAM) in Arabidopsis embryos requires the KNOXI transcription factor SHOOT MERISTEMLESS. In Norway spruce (Picea abies), four KNOXI family members (HBK1, HBK2, HBK3 and HBK4) have been identified, but a corresponding role in SAM development has not been demonstrated. As a first step to differentiate between the functions of the four Norway spruce HBK genes, we have here analyzed their expression profiles during the process of somatic embryo development. This was made both under normal embryo development and under conditions of reduced SAM formation by treatment with the polar auxin transport inhibitor NPA. Concomitantly with the formation of an embryonic SAM, the HBK2 and HBK4 genes displayed a significant up-regulation that was delayed by NPA treatment. In contrast, HBK1 and HBK3 were up-regulated prior to SAM formation, and their temporal expression was not affected by NPA. Ectopic expression of the four HBK genes in transgenic Arabidopsis plants further supported similar functions of HBK2 and HBK4, distinct from those of HBK1 and HBK3. Together, the results suggest that HBK2 and HBK4 exert similar functions related to the SAM differentiation and somatic embryo development in Norway spruce, while HBK1 and HBK3 have more general functions during embryo development