COEXISTENCE DES FORMES ALLONGÉE ET APLATIE DANS 187Au

187Au a été étudié simultanément par réaction 175Lu(16O, 4n)l87Au au cyclotron à énergie variable d'Orsay, et par étude de la désintégration radioactive de 187Hg (T½ = 133 ± 13 ns) à l'aide du séparateur Isocèle en ligne sur le synchrocyclotron de l'IPN d'Orsay. Les résultats obtenus ont été comparés à ceux du coeur pair-pair 186Pt formé par réaction 174Yb(16O, 4n)186Pt. On a ainsi mis en évidence deux bandes découplées construites dans les couches h 11/2 et h 9/2 indiquant des déformations respectivement oblate et prolate comme dans 189Au [1]. Dans la bande h 9/2, bien développée, de même que dans le coeur 186Pt, on a pu mettre en évidence un effet de backbending : ceci permet de penser qu'il est essentiellement dû à une paire de protons h 11/2 (blocking du proton h 9/2 aligné sur le cœur)

Langzeit-Systemvergleiche in Kenia und Indien: Konventionelle und biologische Erträge aus dem ersten Umstellungsjahr

Organic agriculture is more and more perceived as a promising approach to increase food security in developing countries. However, only few attempts have been made so far to assess agronomic and economic performance of organic agriculture in these^regions in a systematic way. This article reports the first year’s results of two long-term farming systems comparison field trials in Kenya and India. In sub-humid Central Kenya, on a high potential site in Meru South District (Chuka), there were no differences between yields of conventional and organic systems for the first maize and brassica crops. In contrast, organic yields were 14 to 60% lower than conventional yields on a trial site in a medium potential zone in Maragua District (Thika). It is assumed that the organic crops in Chuka could benefit from N and P mobilisation from the soil. In Thika, where N and P were less available, the crop depended on the easily soluble nutrients applied in the conventional treatments. In the semi-arid cotton belt of^Central India, biodynamic, organic, conventional and genetically modified (GM) cotton are compared. Soya and wheat are also part of the crop rotation under study. Biodynamic and organic cotton and wheat yields were 30% lower than conventional and GM yields. Soya yields did not differ between the treatments. It is suggested that yield in organic farming systems in conversion depends on initial inherent soil fertility and crop

Enhancing bacteriophage therapeutics through in situ production and release of heterologous antimicrobial effectors

Bacteriophages operate via pathogen-specific mechanisms of action distinct from conventional, broad-spectrum antibiotics and are emerging as promising alternative antimicrobials. However, phage-mediated killing is often limited by bacterial resistance development. Here, we engineer phages for target-specific effector gene delivery and host-dependent production of colicin-like bacteriocins and cell wall hydrolases. Using urinary tract infection (UTI) as a model, we show how heterologous effector phage therapeutics (HEPTs) suppress resistance and improve uropathogen killing by dual phage- and effector-mediated targeting. Moreover, we designed HEPTs to control polymicrobial uropathogen communities through production of effectors with cross-genus activity. Using phage-based companion diagnostics, we identified potential HEPT responder patients and treated their urine ex vivo. Compared to wildtype phage, a colicin E7-producing HEPT demonstrated superior control of patient E. coli bacteriuria. Arming phages with heterologous effectors paves the way for successful UTI treatment and represents a versatile tool to enhance and adapt phage-based precision antimicrobials

6. MEMS based color-VGA micro-projector system

This paper presents a complete portable laser-based projection system using twofold of one dimensional magnetic actuated MEMS linear scanning micro-mirrors. Dedicated high speed electronics was developed to drive the MEMS, detect the mirror scanning position at any time and synchronize the two mirrors and the laser pulsation. The achieved projection system head is 4.5 cm3 and is able to project colorful static images and videos (50 fps) with projection size of 50 cm diagonal at 50 cm distance with VGA (640×480 px) resolution

River Influences on Shelf Ecosystems: Introduction and Synthesis

River Influences on Shelf Ecosystems (RISE) is the first comprehensive interdisciplinary study of the rates and dynamics governing the mixing of river and coastal waters in an eastern boundary current system, as well as the effects of the resultant plume on phytoplankton standing stocks, growth and grazing rates, and community structure. The RISE Special Volume presents results deduced from four field studies and two different numerical model applications, including an ecosystem model, on the buoyant plume originating from the Columbia River. This introductory paper provides background information on variability during RISE field efforts as well as a synthesis of results, with particular attention to the questions and hypotheses that motivated this research. RISE studies have shown that the maximum mixing of Columbia River and ocean water occurs primarily near plume liftoff inside the estuary and in the near field of the plume. Most plume nitrate originates from upwelled shelf water, and plume phytoplankton species are typically the same as those found in the adjacent coastal ocean. River-supplied nitrate can help maintain the ecosystem during periods of delayed upwelling. The plume inhibits iron limitation, but nitrate limitation is observed in aging plumes. The plume also has significant effects on rates of primary productivity and growth (higher in new plume water) and microzooplankton grazing (lower in the plume near field and north of the river mouth); macrozooplankton concentration (enhanced at plume fronts); offshelf chlorophyll export; as well as the development of a chlorophyll ?shadow zone? off northern Oregon

The relationship between the perception of distributed leadership in secondary schools and teachers' and teacher leaders' job satisfaction and organizational commitment

This study investigates the relation between distributed leadership, the cohesion of the leadership team, participative decision-making, context variables, and the organizational commitment and job satisfaction of teachers and teacher leaders. A questionnaire was administered to teachers and teacher leaders (n=1770) from 46 large secondary schools. Multiple regression analyses and path analyses revealed that the study variables explained significant variance in organizational commitment. The degree of explained variance for job satisfaction was considerably lower compared to organizational commitment. Most striking was that the cohesion of the leadership team and the amount of leadership support was strongly related to organizational commitment, and indirectly to job satisfaction. Decentralization of leadership functions was weakly related to organizational commitment and job satisfaction

Engineered reporter phages for detection of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, and Klebsiella in urine

The rapid detection and species-level differentiation of bacterial pathogens facilitates antibiotic stewardship and improves disease management. Here, we develop a rapid bacteriophage-based diagnostic assay to detect the most prevalent pathogens causing urinary tract infections: Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., and Klebsiella spp. For each uropathogen, two virulent phages were genetically engineered to express a nanoluciferase reporter gene upon host infection. Using 206 patient urine samples, reporter phage-induced bioluminescence was quantified to identify bacteriuria and the assay was benchmarked against conventional urinalysis. Overall, E. coli, Enterococcus spp., and Klebsiella spp. were each detected with high sensitivity (68%, 78%, 87%), specificity (99%, 99%, 99%), and accuracy (90%, 94%, 98%) at a resolution of ≥10$^{3}$ CFU/ml within 5 h. We further demonstrate how bioluminescence in urine can be used to predict phage antibacterial activity, demonstrating the future potential of reporter phages as companion diagnostics that guide patient-phage matching prior to therapeutic phage application

Habitat use at fine spatial scale: how does patch clustering criteria explain the use of meadows by red deer ?

Large mammalian herbivores are keystone species in different ecosystems. To mediate the effects of large mammalian herbivores on ecosystems, it is crucial to understand their habitat selection pattern. At finer scales, herbivore patch selection depends strongly on plant community traits and therefore its understanding is constrained by patch definition criteria. Our aim was to assess which criteria for patch definition best explained use of meadows by wild, free-ranging, red deer (Cervus elaphus) in a study area in Northeast Portugal. We used two clustering criteria types based on floristic composition and gross forage classes, respectively. For the floristic criteria, phytosociological approach was used to classify plant communities, and its objectivity evaluated with a mathematical clustering of the floristic relevés. Cover of dominant plant species was tested as a proxy for the phytosociological method. For the gross forage classes, the graminoids/forbs ratio and the percentage cover of legumes were used. For assessing deer relative use of meadows we used faecal accumulation rates. Patches clustered according to floristic classification better explained selection of patches by deer. Plant community classifications based on phytosociology, or proxies of this, used for characterizing meadow patches resulted useful to understand herbivore selection pattern at fine scales and thus potentially suitable to assist wildlife management decisions