Contrôle des installations d’assainissement non collectif : l’apport déterminant des outils de diagnostic non destructifs

Depuis juillet 2012, un nouveau cadre juridique s’applique aux installations d’assainissement non collectif, visant à améliorer leur contrôle et leur rénovation progressive. Cette note nous présente une méthodologie de contrôle simplifié des installations élaborée grâce l’apport déterminant des outils de diagnostic non destructifs

Development of space stable thermal control coatings for use on large space vehicles

The evaluation and environmental testing of zinc orthotitanate pigments for use as space stable thermal control coatings on large space vehicles are discussed. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of the pigments and their precursor compounds are examined. A continuing study of the spectral intensity of mercury-argon and mercury-xenon sources in reported. Results of long term environmental testing of commercially available, strippable, protective coatings are discussed

The deep-pocket effect of internal capital markets

We provide evidence that incumbent and entrant firms' access to business group deep pockets affects entry patterns in product markets. Relying on a unique French data set on business groups, our paper shows that entry in manufacturing industries is negatively related to the cash hoarded by incumbent-affiliated groups, and positively related to entrant groups' cash. In line with theoretical predictions, we find that the impact on entry of group cash holdings is more important in environments where financial constraints are pronounced and in more financially dependent sectors. The cash holdings of incumbent and entrant groups also affect the survival rate of entrants in the 3 to 5 year post-entry window. Overall, our findings suggest that internal capital markets operate within corporate groups and affect the product market behavior of affiliated firms by mitigating financial constraints

Biomass to oil : fast pyrolysis and subcritical hydrothermal liquefaction

International audienceThe present abstract deals with the comparison of two biomass-to-oil processes: fast pyrolysis and subcritical hydrothermal liquefaction. Using the same biomass (beech sawdust), fast pyrolysis was led thanks to the cyclone reactor (wall temperature between 870 and 1040 K) and subcritical hydrothermal liquefaction thanks to a 150-ml-batch-reactor (temperature between 420 and 600 K). Mass balances and analysis (ultimate analysis, HHV, pH, Karl-Fischer, gas chromatographies, H 1 NMR) allow the comparison of both processes and the characterization of the main fractions of pyro-oils (heavy oils, light oils and aerosols) and liq-oils (heavy oils and water soluble organics)

Composition et distribution spatio-temporelle des protozoaires ciliés dans un petit lac hypereutrophe du Cameroun (Afrique centrale)

La composition et la distribution spatio-temporelle des ciliés du Lac Municipal de Yaoundé (Cameroun) ont été analysées d’avril à décembre 1997, en relation avec des paramètres physico-chimiques du milieu. Trois stations pélagiques et l’herbier littoral ont été échantillonnés. 58 espèces de protistes ciliés ont pu être identifiées, parmi lesquelles environ 60 % d’espèces littorales et périphytiques et 37 % d’espèces pélagiques. Les espèces les plus courantes sont les espèces pélagiques Uronema nigricans et Coleps hirtus. L’abondance saisonnière des ciliés a atteint une valeur maximale de 21 800 ind•L-1, les valeurs les plus élevées étant enregistrées dans la couche trophogène du lac, particulièrement au cours de la grande saison des pluies. Les variations de la biomasse totale des ciliés sont plus faibles, avec des maxima correspondant également aux fortes pluies. Les espèces dominantes en matière de biomasse sont Prorodon africanum, Coleps hirtus et Uronema nigricans. Enfin, les fluctuations saisonnières de l’abondance et de la biomasse des ciliés sont discutées en relation avec les paramètres environnementaux, parmi lesquels le régime pluvial tient apparemment un rôle central.The Municipal Lake of Yaoundé (3° 51’ 37’’ N and 11° 30’ 40’’ E) is a shallow water body (Zm = 4.3 m), situated in downtown Yaoundé, the political capital of Cameroon (Central Africa). The composition and the spatio-temporal distribution of ciliates in combination with physical and chemical water variables were measured in this lake from April to December 1997. Sampling was carried out weekly, at 5 depths (surface, 0.5 m, 1 m, 1.5 m and 2.5 m) and at 3 pelagic stations, A, B and C, representing the upper, middle and the lower parts of the lake, using a Van Dorn sampling bottle. In the littoral station, the periphytic fauna is collected by agitation of the vegetation in a bucket and filtration of water. The water temperature was measured with a thermometer and the pH was measured in the field with a portable pH-meter. The oxygen concentration was determined according to the Winkler method and the transparency of the water column was determined with a Secchi disk. Light availability was measured with a luxmeter. Water colour, suspended solids and ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N) were analyzed spectrophotometrically using APHA methods. Ciliate species were identified using appropriate and specific keys and were counted under a stereomicroscope at magnifications of 250X and 500X.Results showed that the lake was hypereutrophic. Throughout the study, the temperature and pH values of the water remained around 25°C and 7, respectively. The dissolved oxygen concentration decreased with depth to almost zero at the lake bottom, while the Secchi disk transparency did not exceed 1 m. Spatio-temporal variations of these variables indicated that the middle zone (0.5 to 1.5 m) was the stratum with a critical role in the functioning of the lake. Indeed, it represented the transitional zone between the trophogenic upper layer where photosynthetic activity occurred and the bottom water layer, formed by the microaerophilic to anaerobic tropholitic layers where reducing processes were important.Fifty-eight ciliate species, belonging to 10 orders and 28 families, were identified among which five (Holophrya sp., Lagynophrya rostrata, Lagynophrya simplex, Pseudoprorodon sp. and Histriculus sp.) were new records for Cameroon fauna. This population contained 62% of littoral species and 37% of pelagic species respectively. Within these taxa, dominant species were Uronema nigricans (present at all pelagic stations) and Coleps hirtus (present at more than 97% of the pelagic stations). Their abundance was greater than 2,000 ind•L-1 during the study period showing variation with many peaks. Prorodon africanum occurred sporadically between October and November when rainfall decreased and their densities reached 5,700 ind•L-1 in November at 0.5 m depth at station A. After November, this species was replaced by Prorodon sp. Most of the species collected were cosmopolite or characteristic of shallow tropical water bodies.The total abundance of the ciliate community was high reaching 21,800 ind•L-1 at station A, at 0.5 m depth. According to several authors, the abundance of ciliates in such tropical water bodies varies from 3.6 to 9.75 x 104 ind•L-1. The highest abundances were observed at depths of 0.5 m to 1.5 m at all 3 stations, especially during the rainy season. This corroborated the importance and the role of this stratum in the functioning of Lake Yaoundé. The lowest abundance of ciliates was observed at station A, at the bottom (2.5 m depth). The total abundance of ciliates showed one or several peaks during the period from July to November. With respect to the total biomass, the variation was more regular with generally one peak during the rainy season. At certain depths at stations B and C, several peaks were observed during the period of April to June and from September to November. The total biomass values obtained were higher than those reported by other authors. This can be explained by the fact that reported values in these latter studies were expressed as dry weight while values reported in this study were expressed as wet weight. With respect to biomass, the dominant species was Prorodon africanum (5,300 µg•L-1), followed by Coleps hirtus (3,800 µg•L-1) and Uronema nigricans (3,100 µg•L-1). The highest biomass was 130 x 105 µg•L-1, and was observed at station A, at 0.5 m depth.Generally large size ciliates were more abundant during the dry season whereas small size species were abundant during rainy season. Chilodonella uncinata and Prorodon africanum grew in surface layers (between the surface and 1 m depth) while Paradileptus conicus and Uronema nigricans preferred deep water (1 to 2.5 m depth). There was a great development of ciliates during the transitional period between the rainy and dry seasons. Moreover there was a close relationship between environmental parameters and the ciliate community. In fact, 2 to 3 physico-chemical predictors (dissolved oxygen, temperature and conductivity or pH) explained spatio-temporal distributions of different species. The variation of the total biomass in station A was explained by the dissolved oxygen concentration (r2 = 0.366; p<0.001) and by the pH (r2 = 0.274; p<0.001); at stations B and C, the variation was explained by ammonium-nitrogen (r2 = 0.178 and r2 = 0.294 for p<0.01). The most important abiotic factor that influenced the density and biomass variation of ciliate communities of Lake Yaoundé was the precipitation rate. Throughout the study, station B was the most characteristic of the structure of the ciliate community of this lake

Indirect effects on fitness between individuals that have never met via an extended phenotype

Interactions between organisms are ubiquitous and have important consequences for phenotypes and fitness. Individuals can even influence those they never meet, if they have extended phenotypes that alter the environments others experience. North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) guard food hoards, an extended phenotype that typically outlives the individual and is usually subsequently acquired by non‐relatives. Hoarding by previous owners can, therefore, influence subsequent owners. We found that red squirrels breed earlier and had higher lifetime fitness if the previous hoard owner was a male. This was driven by hoarding behaviour, as males and mid‐aged squirrels had the largest hoards, and these effects persisted across owners, such that if the previous owner was male or died in mid‐age, subsequent occupants had larger hoards. Individuals can, therefore, influence each other’s resource‐dependent traits and fitness without ever meeting, such that the past can influence contemporary population dynamics through extended phenotypes.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/148423/1/ele13230.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/148423/2/ele13230_am.pd

Territory acquisition mediates the influence of predators and climate on juvenile red squirrel survival

Juvenile survival to first breeding is a key life‐history stage for all taxa. Survival through this period can be particularly challenging when it coincides with harsh environmental conditions such as a winter climate or food scarcity, leading to highly variable cohort survival. However, the small size and dispersive nature of juveniles generally make studying their survival more difficult.In territorial species, a key life‐history event is the acquisition of a territory. A territory is expected to enhance survival, but how it does so is not often identified. We tested how the timing of territory acquisition influenced the winter survival of juvenile North American red squirrels Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, hereafter red squirrels, and how the timing of this event mediated the sources of mortality. We hypothesized that securing a territory prior to when food resources become available would reduce juvenile susceptibility to predation and climatic factors overwinter.Using 27 years of data on the survival of individually marked juvenile red squirrels, we tested how the timing of territory acquisition influenced survival, whether the population density of red squirrel predators and mean temperature overwinter were related to individual survival probability, and if territory ownership mediated these effects.Juvenile red squirrel survival was lower in the years of high predator abundance and in colder winters. Autumn territory owners were less susceptible to lynx Lynx canadensis and possibly mustelid Mustela and Martes spp., predation. Autumn territory owners had lower survival in colder winters, but surprisingly non‐owners had higher survival in cold winters.Our results show how the timing of a life‐history event like territory acquisition can directly affect survival and also mediate the effects of biotic and abiotic factors later in life. This engenders a better understanding of the fitness consequences of the timing of key life‐history events.The authors examine how territories, predators and climate influenced the winter survival of juvenile North American red squirrels over three decades. Territory owners survived better and were less affected by lynx abundance, but territories did not improve survival over colder winters. They provide insights into the understudied life stage of first independence.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/155889/1/jane13209_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/155889/2/jane13209.pd

INDUCED HEATING POWER EVALUATION IN RIB TRANSFER LINE OF SPIRAL2

Abstract The production of the future Radioactive Ion Beams at SPIRAL2 is studied in the case of an ECR ion source and helium as supporting gas. The RIBs transported in the transfer lines have a multi-component composition and the total current of the beams is mainly defined by helium ions. The total power of the helium component may reach 300 W. For magnetic optical elements the focusing force acting on the ions in the transfer beam line is strongly dependent on mass-to-charge ratio. For this reason the supporting gas ions will be lost at the initial part of the beam line between the ECR ion source and the analysing magnet. The helium beam losses and induced heating power density at the wall of the vacuum tube are evaluated in this report for the transport of Ar, Xe and U ion beams in the RIB transfer line of the future SPIRAL2 facility