Genomic Characterization of the Taylorella Genus

The Taylorella genus comprises two species: Taylorella equigenitalis, which causes contagious equine metritis, and Taylorella asinigenitalis, a closely-related species mainly found in donkeys. We herein report on the first genome sequence of T. asinigenitalis, analyzing and comparing it with the recently-sequenced T. equigenitalis genome. The T. asinigenitalis genome contains a single circular chromosome of 1,638,559 bp with a 38.3% GC content and 1,534 coding sequences (CDS). While 212 CDSs were T. asinigenitalis-specific, 1,322 had orthologs in T. equigenitalis. Two hundred and thirty-four T. equigenitalis CDSs had no orthologs in T. asinigenitalis. Analysis of the basic nutrition metabolism of both Taylorella species showed that malate, glutamate and alpha-ketoglutarate may be their main carbon and energy sources. For both species, we identified four different secretion systems and several proteins potentially involved in binding and colonization of host cells, suggesting a strong potential for interaction with their host. T. equigenitalis seems better-equipped than T. asinigenitalis in terms of virulence since we identified numerous proteins potentially involved in pathogenicity, including hemagluttinin-related proteins, a type IV secretion system, TonB-dependent lactoferrin and transferrin receptors, and YadA and Hep_Hag domains containing proteins. This is the first molecular characterization of Taylorella genus members, and the first molecular identification of factors potentially involved in T. asinigenitalis and T. equigenitalis pathogenicity and host colonization. This study facilitates a genetic understanding of growth phenotypes, animal host preference and pathogenic capacity, paving the way for future functional investigations into this largely unknown genus

Deauville : création et développement urbain

During the nineteenth century, the success of Trouville, with its reputation founded on the novel practices of therapeutic sea bathing, gave rise to the development of seaside resorts all along France’s Channel coast. Their creation was based on speculative initiatives which followed a similar general pattern: the purchase of real estate by a private speculator and the creation of a development company charged with dividing the land into parcels and commercialising the individual building plots. This company was also responsible for the layout of the resort’s streets and for building its public seaside facilities. This process of appropriation of the Channel coast, notably on the maritime edge of Normandy’s Pays d’Auge, was particularly dynamic during the middle of the century, with the creation of Cabourg in 1854 (under the impulsion of the Paris lawyer Henri Durand), Villers-sur-Mer in 1856 (at the initiative of the architect Félix Pigeory), Houlgate in 1858 (under the direction of the architect Jacques Baumier) and Deauville the following year

Header for SPIE use Geometrical misalignment retrieval of the IASI interferometer

ABSTRACT The IASI instrument (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer) is a Fourier-Transform Spectrometer (FTS) providing spectra of the Earth's atmosphere observed from space. The heart of the instrument is a Michelson interferometer (IHOS) equipped with two hollow cube-corners retro-reflectors in place of the classical flat mirrors. The main alignment requirements of the IASI interferometer are the lateral shift, or shear, of the moving cube-corner (seen through the beamsplitter) and the misalignment of its scanning axis : these contributions should not exceed 20 µm and 250 µrad respectively during the five years mission in orbit. Thus the most difficult challenge of the IHOS integration on-ground probably is their measurement accuracy, which shall respectively be better than 1 µm and 100 µrad. The envisaged characterization method consists in a specific data processing of the fringe patterns created by the interferometer at four different points located in the IHOS Field of View (FoV), corresponding to the IASI instrument pixels. For each acquired interferogram the Optical Path Differences (OPD) created by the interferometer are evaluated using a double Fouriertransform algorithm, and the results are combined together in order to retrieve the apparent trajectory of the mobile cubecorner. This principle was tested on a breadboard interferometer already assembled in the CNES laboratories. The numerical results presented herein tend to demonstrate the efficiency of the method, since the achieved accuracy does not exceed 1.2 µm (whatever the cube-corner axial position) and 120 µrad respectively. The main error sources also are discussed

Is a planned cesarean necessary in twin pregnancies?

International audienceOBJECTIVE: Evaluation of elective cesarean section for twin delivery as a standard of care. DESIGN: Historical cohort in a national database (2 597 twin pregnancies). SETTING: France. SAMPLE: Twins with first child in cephalic presentation. METHODS: Decision analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All neonatal complications, i.e. death, whether intrapartum or in the delivery room or the immediate postpartum period, or neonatal transfer to intensive (or special) care, or trauma, of one or both twins. RESULTS: When we focused on neonatal complications for either or both twins, the strategy of planned vaginal delivery was preferable; the weight of its decision tree branch was lower than that for planned cesarean (26.5 vs. 31.7). If only twin 2 was considered, vaginal delivery was also preferred (weight of vaginal delivery=27.6 vs. 32.7 for planned cesarean). As long as the morbidity and mortality of twin 1 or twin 2 or both during a cesarean for twin 2 in the case of planned vaginal delivery does not exceed 31.5%, all else being equal, vaginal delivery should be preferred to a planned cesarean for twin 1 and twin 2. The two-variable sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study do not support a policy of planned cesarean delivery for twin pregnancies at and after 34 weeks of gestation. Level of evidence: II

Study of the submicronic aerosol dry deposition on urban surfaces in a wind tunnel.

National audienceTo quantify the impact of an accidental or chronic pollution by an aerosol on an urban environment, dry deposition transfer coefficient, or dry deposition velocity, must be determined for the different surfaces composing this environment (roofs, walls and ground) as a function of the micrometeorological conditions. There are few data for the urban environment. Data have been acquired in laboratory but they are poorly representative of urban environments. Moreover field measurements are not related to micrometeorological parameters that are very important in the deposition phenomenon. In this study, the dry deposition velocities of a tracer aerosol, representative of the coagulation mode of the atmospheric aerosol, on three urban surfaces and for three wind speed were quantified experimentally in a wind tunnel. A significant increase of the deposition velocities with the roughness of the surfaces and the flow speed was observed. These dry deposition velocity measurements were achieved together with turbulence measurements

Study of the submicronic aerosol dry deposition on urban surfaces in a wind tunnel.

National audienceTo quantify the impact of an accidental or chronic pollution by an aerosol on an urban environment, dry deposition transfer coefficient, or dry deposition velocity, must be determined for the different surfaces composing this environment (roofs, walls and ground) as a function of the micrometeorological conditions. There are few data for the urban environment. Data have been acquired in laboratory but they are poorly representative of urban environments. Moreover field measurements are not related to micrometeorological parameters that are very important in the deposition phenomenon. In this study, the dry deposition velocities of a tracer aerosol, representative of the coagulation mode of the atmospheric aerosol, on three urban surfaces and for three wind speed were quantified experimentally in a wind tunnel. A significant increase of the deposition velocities with the roughness of the surfaces and the flow speed was observed. These dry deposition velocity measurements were achieved together with turbulence measurements

Measurement in a wind tunnel of dry deposition velocities of submicron aerosol with associated turbulence onto rough and smooth urban surfaces

International audienceDry deposition of a submicron aerosol is studied in a wind tunnel to measure dry d0eposition velocities onto horizontal and vertical urban surfaces of glass, cement facing and grass for several wind speeds and to measure the turbulence parameters associated with these deposition velocities. These deposition velocities are then compared to data of the literature and to the results of two models for dry deposition. The dry deposition velocity of the fluorescein aerosol increases with the intensity of the turbulence. This highlights the importance of the turbulent processes of impaction and interception in deposition. However, the ratio of dry deposition velocity to friction velocity depends on the surface type. It depends on the turbulence conditions in the boundary layer. These turbulent dry deposition processes thus vary in importance depending on the studied surface. Finally, settling represents a significant part of the deposition for low wind speeds and for smooth surfaces. This wind tunnel study permits the study of the deposition as a function of turbulent processes. It should be supplemented by in situ experiments

Submicronic aerosol dry deposition non urban surfaces: a wind tunnel study to improve the lack of knowledge

1 ppInternational audienceIn the case of an accidental or chronic atmospheric pollution by a nuclear plant, and to determine the impact of aerosols contained in the plume on urban areas, aerosols deposition transfer oefficients must be known for the different types of urban surfaces. In dry atmospheric conditions, these coefficients are defined by the dry deposition velocities Vd (m.s-1), the ratio between aerosol vertical dry deposition flux (particles.m-2.s-1) and concentration of aerosols (particles.m-3) (Seinfeld and Pandis, 1998). Dry deposition velocities are dependent on atmospheric turbulent conditions and surface roughness. Actually, for urban surfaces, there are few dry deposition velocities measured, in field or in laboratory, and existing data are not linked with atmospheric conditions (Fowler et al, 2009). Therefore, it is important to improve the knowledge and the models on urban areas. The aim of this wind tunnel study is to quantify, experimentally, dry deposition velocities for a submicron aerosol on three urban surfaces, for three wind speeds (Uref), and to measure turbulence in the wind tunnel, especially friction velocities U*

Development of innovative electrodes for the application of ERT methods to the benefit of immovable Cultural Heritage Conservation

International audienceIn the field of science in conservation, it is well known that most of the damages are induced by moisture changes.Indeed, water content distribution in masonry is a determining factor in the frame of the weathering and alterationprocesses. The evaluation and monitoring of water content in immovable cultural heritage with Non DestructiveTechnics (NDT) remain a scientific challenge. Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) is a NDT that enables toimage the in-depth spatial and/or temporal variations of the electrical resistivity related to the water saturation.Thus, this study investigates adaptation of ERT to Cultural Heritage issues.The application of the ERT method is based on the injection and reception of an electrical signal through thesurface of the auscultated object. Due to the preciosity of the masonry, adapted electrodes are developed. Sensordevelopment takes into account of electrode/material surface interfacial quality to prevent any damage to the structureand optimum electrical coupling.The aim of this study concerns the development of a new type of electrodes specially adapted to the ERT monitoringon heritage buildings. Thus, the coupling interface (electrode/material) and the electrical properties of theelectrodes are tested in the laboratory as well as in the field conditions.In the laboratory conditions two tests are performed: first, the electrical properties of the electrodes like the capacityof the electrodes to be polarized, the internal resistance, the relation between surface of electrode and theinjected to received signal ratio magnitudes and others are tested. Second, the performance of electrodes is testedon a limestone block from a Gallo-Roman temple. The contact resistance of the electrodes as well as the responseof the material to the injected electrical signal at different degrees of saturation are tested.The practical implementation of the new electrodes in the field conditions is the last step. The electrodes are used inreal conditions by applying the ERT method on the Gallo-Roman Temple of the archaeological site of Genainville(France). This allows to validate the design of the electrodes in a complete acquisition system for in situ long termmonitoring of water distribution in masonry submitted to water table rising periods

A French audit of maternity unit protocols for immediate postpartum hemorrhage: A cross-sectional study (HERA)

International audienc