Search for non-Gaussian events in the data of the VIRGO E4 engineering run

International audienc

La rigidité artérielle des sujets urémiques est associée à l'accumulation tissulaire de produits avancés de glycation

REIMS-BU Santé (514542104) / SudocSudocFranceF

Enhanced water repellency of surfaces coated with multiscale carbon structures

International audienceLow cost and well characterized superhydrophobic surfaces are frequently required for industrial applications. Materials are commonly structured at the micro or nano scale. Surfaces decorated with nanotube derivatives synthesized by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) are of particular interest, since suitable modifications in the growth parameters can lead to numerous designs. In this article, we present surfaces that are selected for their specific wetting features with patterns ranging from dense forests to jungles with concave (re-entrant) surface such as flake-like multiscale roughness. Once these surfaces are functionalized adequately, their wetting properties are investigated. Their ability to sustain a superhydrophobic state for sessile water drops is examined. Finally, we propose a design to achieve a robust so-called “Fakir” state, even for micrometer-sized drops, whereas with classic nanotubes forests it is not achievable. Thus, the drop remains on the apex of the protrusions with a high contact angle and a low contact angle hysteresis, while the surface features demonstrate good mechanical resistance against capillary forces

Éprouver l’initiation

Privilégier les dimensions affectives du processus initiatique : telle a été la proposition de l’argumentaire distribué en vue de ce numéro de la revue Systèmes de pensée en Afrique noire. Les contributeurs étaient invités à explorer les contours et les ressorts des rites d’initiation en mettant l’accent moins sur les fonctions qu’on peut leur reconnaître ou sur les idées-valeurs qu’ils véhiculent, que sur les expériences émotionnelles qu’ils font advenir. Pour reprendre la formule de F. Berthomé, il s’agissait d’envisager le contexte initiatique non seulement « du point de vue d’un agir spécifique », mais surtout « du point de vue d’un pâtir spécifique ». D’où l’intitulé : Éprouver l’initiation

Advanced synthesis of highly crystallized hexagonal boron nitride by coupling polymer-derived ceramics and spark plasma sintering processes—influence of the crystallization promoter and sintering temperature

International audienceHexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) are promising 2D materials due to their exceptional chemical and thermal stabilities together with their electrical insulation properties. A combined synthesis method involving the polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) route and the spark plasma sintering (SPS) process is proposed, leading to well-crystallized and pure layered h-BN crystals, prone to be exfoliated into large BNNSs. Here we focus more specifically on the influence of two key parameters of the process to be optimized: the Li3N concentration (0–10 wt%) and the SPS temperature (1200 °C–1950 °C). The presence of Li3N, added as crystal promoter in the pre-ceramic powder, significantly improves the crystallinity level of the product, as evidenced by XRD, SEM and Raman spectrometry. SPS temperature strongly modifies the size of the resulting h-BN flakes. The influence of SPS temperature on both purity and crystallinity is studied using cathodoluminescence. h-BN flakes larger than 200 μm2 (average flake area) are obtained. Few-layered BNNSs are successfully isolated, through exfoliation process

Computer-based tailored dietary counseling improves the nutrient adequacy of the diet of French pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial

International audienceDuring pregnancy, mothers-to-be should adapt their diet to meet increases in nutrient requirements. Pregnant women appear to be keener to adopt healthier diets, but not always successful.The objective of this study was to determine whether a guided, stepwise and tailored dietary counseling program, designed using an optimization algorithm, could improve the nutrient adequacy of the diet of pregnant women, beyond generic guidelines.80 pregnant women who attended Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Maternity Clinic were randomly allocated to the control or intervention arms. Dietary data were obtained twice from an online 3-day dietary record. The nutrient adequacy of the diet was calculated using the PANDiet score, a 100-point diet quality index adapted to the specific nutrient requirements for pregnancy. Women were supplied with generic dietary guidelines in a reference booklet. In the intervention arm, they also received nine sets of tailored dietary advice identified by an optimization algorithm as best improving their PANDiet score.78 pregnant women completed the 12-week dietary follow-up. Initial PANDiet scores were similar in the control and intervention arms (60.4±7.3 vs 60.3±7.3, P=0.92). The PANDiet score increased in the intervention arm (+3.6±9.3, P=0.02) but not in the control arm (-0.3±7.3, P=0.77), and these changes differed between arms (P=0.04). In the intervention arm, there were improvements in the probabilities of adequacy for ALA, thiamin, folate and cholesterol intakes (P<0.05).Tailored dietary counseling using a computer-based algorithm is more effective than generic dietary counseling alone in improving the nutrient adequacy of the diet of French women in mid-pregnancy

From the synthesis of hBN crystals to their use as nanosheets in van der Waals heterostructures

International audienceAbstract In the wide world of 2D materials, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) holds a special place due to its excellent characteristics. In addition to its thermal, chemical and mechanical stability, hBN demonstrates high thermal conductivity, low compressibility, and wide band gap around 6 eV, making it a promising candidate for many groundbreaking applications and more specifically in van der Waals heterostructures. Millimeters scale hexagonal boron nitride crystals are obtained through a disruptive dual method (PDC/PCS) consisting in a complementary coupling of the Polymer Derived Ceramics route and a Pressure-Controlled Sintering process. In addition to their excellent chemical and crystalline quality, these crystals exhibit a free exciton lifetime of 0.43 ns, as determined by time-resolved cathodoluminescence measurements, confirming their interesting optical properties. To go further in applicative fields, hBN crystals are then exfoliated, and resulting Boron Nitride NanoSheets (BNNSs) are used to encapsulate transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Such van der Waals heterostructures are tested by optical spectroscopy. BNNSs do not luminesce in the emission spectral range of TMDs and the photoluminescence width of the exciton at 4K is in the range 2-3 meV. All these results demonstrate that these BNNSs are of high quality and relevant for future opto-electronic applications

Metformin-related lactic acidosis with acute kidney injury: results of a French observational multicenter study

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