An improved time of flight gamma-ray telescope to monitor diffuse gamma-ray in the energy range 5 MeV - 50 MeV

A time of flight measuring device is the basic triggering system of most of medium and high energy gamma-ray telescopes. A simple gamma-ray telescope has been built in order to check in flight conditions the functioning of an advanced time of flight system. The technical ratings of the system are described. This telescope has been flown twice with stratospheric balloons, its axis being oriented at various Zenital directions. Flight results are presented for diffuse gamma-rays, atmospheric secondaries, and various causes of noise in the 5 MeV-50 MeV energy range

La réforme des retraites de 1993 : quel impact sur l'équivalent patrimonial des droits à retraite ?

Depuis 1993, la France a enregistré plusieurs réformes de son système de retraites, visant avant tout à en assurer la soutenabilité. Cette contribution a pour objectif d’évaluer l’impact de la réforme de 1993 sur l’équivalent patrimonial des droits individuels à la retraite (EPDR), c\u27est-à-dire la somme actuarielle probable des pensions à recevoir, de la date de liquidation des droits jusqu’au décès. Plus précisément, nous mesurons l’impact de cette réforme sur l’EPDR des mono-pensionnés du régime général, à l’aide des données de l’Echantillon Interrégimes de Retraités 2008. Parmi les mesures phares de la réforme de 1993 figure l’augmentation progressive de la durée de cotisation nécessaire pour obtenir une retraite à taux plein au régime général. Cette augmentation est susceptible d’engendrer deux effets opposés : un effet de report de l’âge de liquidation pour conserver un EPDR adéquat pour ses vieux jours (voire l’augmenter) ou un effet de décote, si l’assuré-e ne souhaite, ou ne peut, pas prolonger son activité et subit donc une décote sur sa pension, et partant sur son EPDR. Pour tester les effets nets de la réforme de 1993 sur l’EPDR, nous procédons à des estimations économétriques en différences premières et en doubles différences, ainsi qu’à des estimations par quantiles pour mesurer les impacts le long de la distribution de l’EPDR. Nos estimations montrent des résultats différents selon que les individus partent avant ou après 2004, date d’entrée en vigueur de la réforme. Ainsi, toutes choses égales par ailleurs, un départ en retraite avant 2004 plutôt que postérieurement, augmente l’EPDR des retraités concernés. Toutefois, l’interaction avec les autres variables nuance cette conclusion. D’une part, reporter son départ en retraite réduit l’EPDR moyen d’environ 20% : le report permet d’accumuler des droits supplémentaires, mais sur une période réduite. D’autre part, l’effet de la décote est négatif, mais son intensité est réduite quand les retraités reportent leur départ. En outre, comme les générations 1934-1943 ont subi conjointement les réformes de 1993 et 2003, nos estimations en double différence permettent d’isoler l’effet « pur » de la réforme de 1993 : lorsque les affiliés ont subi une décote, sans avoir reporté leur départ en retraite pour l’atténuer, la liquidation des droits aux conditions de 2003 par rapport aux conditions de 1993 est la plus défavorable. Enfin, les estimations par quantiles montrent que ces effets s’intensifient dans la première moitié de la distribution, et s’atténuent au-delà

Pension Wealth in France: An Assessment on Panel Data

This contribution proposes a measure of pension wealth in the French public PAYG schemes (first and second pillar schemes) and of its distribution among the population of retirees in 2008 using the Echantillon Inter régimes de Retraités (EIR) panel data. We show that aggregate pension wealth amounts to around 4765 billion Euros assuming a 2 percent discount rate. There are significant differences in the amount of individual’s pension wealth between the pension schemes of the private and public sector. Moreover, there is more inequality in the distribution of pension wealth among private sector retirees than public sectorones

Que valent les engagements des régimes de retraite envers les retraités en France ?

Using the "Echantillon Inter régimes des Retraités" (EIR) 2008 and 2012 panel data, we calculate retirees\u27 pension wealth (consumed and residual) at an aggregated level, and provide in-depth results by type of pension scheme and by managing organism. We put an emphasis on direct pensions already perceived by retirees and to be paid in the future, without taking into account current contributors\u27 future retirement. We find that the overall pension wealth is not very sensitive to the discount rate, but this result does not hold if we concentrate on the future pension wealth. From this point of view, it must be noted that some of the organisms have a high proportion of pension still to be paid. Moreover, whatever the type of pension wealth calculated, the results show a rapid increase from 2008 to 2012 (except for the basic scheme of farmers). Finally, spread indicators and Gini index of pension wealth are relatively higher than those found in the distribution of labor income by other studies. We find that there are more inequalities in the private sector than in the public, particularly in the private sector for complementary pension schemes

Increase in the gastrointestinal absorption and in tissue storage of cyclophosphamide in L-1210 leukaemic mice at an advanced stage of the disease.

BDF1 mice were inoculated with 10(6) leukaemic cells and, together with control mice, were given a single oral dose of cyclophosphamide-14C of 100 mg/kg body weight. In the leukaemic mice we observed an increased 14C concentration in the plasma, bone marrow, liver, lungs, spleen, kidney and particularly fat where the level was 2-4 times higher than in control mice. Conversely, during the same period, significantly less 14C was detected in the stomach and small intestine of the leukaemic mice. These results were obtained 6 days after tumour transplantation (median survival time 7.7 days) whereas no differences were observed when the studies were carried out 4 days after tumour transplantation. These findings indicate an increase in the gastrointestinal absorption and in the tissue storage fo cyclophosphamide in L-1210 leukaemic mice at an advanced stage of the disease

Nemaline bodies as unique pathological feature in the course of treated dermatomyositis.

Dermatomyositis was diagnosed on clinical and muscle histological criteria in a 42-year-old woman. Despite treatment, the patient complained of deterioration of her muscle condition. Since her symptoms were discordant with the rest of the data, muscle biopsy was performed and disclosed rod-bearing non-atrophic fibers as the unique and predominant pathological feature. Their significance is examined in this paper

Systemic and immune manifestations in myelodysplasia: a multicenter retrospective study

OBJECTIVE: The presence of systemic and/or immune manifestations in myelodysplasia has been currently reported. The influence of these manifestations on the natural outcome of myelodysplastic syndrome has to be considered. We present a multicenter retrospective study (2002-2009) of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome disclosing systemic and/or immune manifestations. METHODS: Forty-six patients with myelodysplasia presenting with systemic and/or immune manifestations were compared in terms of survival with 189 patients with myelodysplasia lacking these features. RESULTS: The clinical picture in these cases consisted of fever (13%), arthralgia or arthritis (13%), and cutaneous manifestations (67%). Four cases of systemic vasculitis have been reported in our series, and they have a worse prognosis. Immune anomalies were recorded in 29% of the cases, and the presence of cryoglobulins was also associated with a worse prognosis. CONCLUSION: A difference in survival between patients with myelodysplastic syndrome with systemic manifestations and patients lacking these manifestations has been observed in the presence of systemic vasculitis and/or cryoglobulins

Evaluation of the resistance of CAC and BFSC mortars to biodegradation : laboratory test approach

Biodeterioration of cementitious materials in sewer networks is a major concern for health and economic reasons. Essentially, it is due to the biological oxidation of H2S into H2SO4 leading to a local progressive dissolution of the cementitious matrix and the precipitation of expansive products likely to provoke cracks. However, it is widely known that CAC has a better performance in such environments but the mechanisms are not very well understood. Nevertheless, previous studies focused mainly on measuring the mass loss of the specimens accompanied with little information on the chemical alteration of the cementitious matrix. This study aims to compare the performance of CAC and BFSC mortars in sewer conditions using laboratory test (BAC-test). Leaching kinetics were evaluated by concentrations measurements of cementitious cations in the leached solutions and of sulphate production by the microorganisms. Moreover, SEM observations coupled with EDS analyses allowed the identification of the chemical alteration of the cementitious matrix