Safeguarding pollinators and their values to human well-being

Wild and managed pollinators provide a wide range of benefits to society in terms of contributions to food security, farmer and beekeeper livelihoods, social and cultural values, as well as the maintenance of wider biodiversity and ecosystem stability. Pollinators face numerous threats, including changes in land-use and management intensity, climate change, pesticides and genetically modified crops, pollinator management and pathogens, and invasive alien species. There are well-documented declines in some wild and managed pollinators in several regions of the world. However, many effective policy and management responses can be implemented to safeguard pollinators and sustain pollination services

Étude par coulométrie de la pénétration de l'eau dans des films de polymères formulés

Hulls protection towards settlement and growth of fouling is obtained by antifouling paints with a progressive release of toxic molecules at the ships surface. The research of a new generation of paints more compatible with living species implies to understand the phenomena involved in paints erosion and biocides release. Water penetration in polymeric matrix is important in regard to the control of ester functions hydrolysis and so to the control of bioactive molecules release. Among the different analytical methods aimed at the determination of the water amount in polymers, we have proposed to use coulometry in order to study the water penetration in polymeric films immersed in synthetic sea water. The analytical protocols developed have enabled to understand the evolution of six different matrixes during the immersion and the comparison of their ability to control release. Coulometry has made possible the study of the effects of additives used in the paints formulation on water uptake. Experimental data have shown that additives modify the evolution of the binder during immersion and that activity of paints is complex. Coulometry is a useful method to test polymers aimed at marine applications

A HPLC-UV method for the determination of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity

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Social bees and food plant associations in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India

The diversity of social bees was assessed at 15 sites across five locations of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Western Ghats, India, from January to December 2007. We also conducted floristic analyses of local vegetation in each site using one-hectare sample plots. All woody species with a dbh (diameter at breast height) : 30 cm were recorded within the plots. A total area of 9.72 ha was assessed for floristic composition. Similarity of floristic composition between sites was determined using the Jaccard's distance measure and a dendrogram constructed based on the hierarchical clustering of floristic dissimilarities between sites. A Bee Importance Index (BII) was developed to give a measure of the bee diversity at each site. This index was a sum of the species richness of bee species in a site and their visitation frequencies to flowers, calculated as mean flower visits hour 1 within 2 focal patches within one hectare plots. The visits of bee species to flowers were also recorded. The Jaccard distance measure indicated that the montane sites were quite dissimilar to the low elevation sites in floristic diversity. The BII was 7-9 for the wet forest sites and ranged from 4-6 for drier forest sites. Seventy three plant species were identified as social bee plants and of them 45% were visited by one species of bee, 37% by two bee species and 18% by more than two bee species, indicating a certain degree of floral specialization among bees

Ionizing radiation doses during lower limb torsion and anteversion measurements by EOS stereoradiography and computed tomography

International audienceObjectives To calculate and compare the doses of ionizing radiation delivered to the organs by computed tomography (CT) and stereoradiography (SR) during measurements of lower limb torsion and anteversion. Materials and methods A Rando anthropomorphic phantom (Alderson RANDO phantom, Alderson Research Laboratories Inc., Stanford, Conn) was used for the dose measurements. The doses were delivered by a Somatom 16-slice CT-scanner (Siemens, Erlangen) and an EOS stereoradiography unit (EOS-Imaging, Paris) according to the manufacturers' acquisition protocols. Doses to the surface and deeper layers were calculated with thermoluminiscent GR207P dosimeters. Dose uncertainties were evaluated and assessed at 6% at k = 2 (that is, two standard deviations). Results The absorbed doses for the principal organs assessed were as follows for the ovaries, 0.1 mGy to the right ovary and 0.5 mGy to the left ovary with SR versus1.3 mGy and 1.1 mGy with CT, respectively; testes, 0.3 mGy on the right and 0.4 mGy on the left with SR versus 8.5 mGy and 8.4 mGy with CT; knees, 0.4 mGy to the right knee and 0.8 mGy to the left knee with SR versus 11 mGy and 10.4 mGy with CT; ankles, 0.5 mGy to the right ankle and 0.8 mGy to the left with SR versus 15 mGy with CT. Conclusion The SR system delivered substantially lower doses of ionizing radiation doses than CT to all the organs studied CT doses were 4.1 times higher to the ovaries, 24 times higher for the testicles, and 13-30 times higher for the knees and ankles. The use of the SR system to study the torsion of lower limbs makes it possible to reduce the amount of medical irradiation that patients accumulate. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd

Development of friendly antifouling coatings from marine algae

After the ban of TBT-based products, marine paint companies are urged to find an appropriate substitute to prevent biofouling on ship hulls. Biocides commonly used in antifouling paints to replace TBT have caused many doubts about their environmental effects. An alternative is offered by the development of antifouling coatings in which the active ingredients are compounds naturally occurring in marine organisms. Many recent studies confirm a potential for novel active ingredients in antifouling preparations from crude extracts of marine algae. We have shown in our studies that the extracts from Ceramium botryocarpum have an interesting antimicrofouling activity, in comparison with commonly used biocides. In situ tests have been conducted during July and August 2004 in the harbour of Lorient, and the first results of crude extracts incorporated in coatings are promising. The chemical characterization of the extracts is in progress. Further work is now needed to examine the precise role of such antifouling activity in nature, and to determine the specific antimicrobial activity against marine bacteria implicated in biofilms

Radiography of scoliosis Comparative dose levels and image quality between a dynamic flat-panel detector and a slot-scanning device (EOS system)

International audienceTo compare radiation dose and image quality between a slot-scanning system (SSS) and a dynamic flat-panel detector (DFD) in assessing scoliosis in children. An experimental study was first performed with a phantom to assess the quality of each device. The clinical part included a prospective observational dosimetric and qualitative comparative study with acquisition of whole-spine X-ray SSS (31 children), DFD (26 children). Institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained. Dosimetric statistical analysis was performed from dose area product (DAP) and entrance skin dose measured by thermo-luminescent dosimeters localized in the cervical, thoracic and sacral areas. Assessment of the diagnostic quality (phantom and clinical) was realized by independent evaluation by 3 observers, using statistical analysis of quality score and inter-observer reproducibility. DAP was equivalent with the 2 systems. Entrance skin dose was significantly higher with DFD in thoracic and pelvic regions (P<0.05). Image quality scores of the SSS were significantly better than DFD for a majority of criteria, in both phantom and clinical evaluations. For scoliosis evaluation, the SSS, compared to the DFD system, offers enhanced image quality while reducing the entrance skin dose in the most radiosensitive areas. © 2015 Éditions françaises de radiologie

Intérêt des gants radio-atténuateurs en radiologie interventionnelle: une évaluation expérimentale

Objective: to determine the potential of leaded radiation attenuation gloves to decrease the X-ray exposure of operators' hands, in interventional radiology and in surgical units. Material and method: we used: radiation attenuation gloves bought by our hospital, TLD thermoluminescent dosimeters, an anthropomorphic phantom of calibration in bone densitometry, an anthropomorphic hand. The measurements were realized on 2 installations: one with sensor plans, and the other one with a brightness amplifier. We compared doses received by dosimeters without and in a glove, in the direct field (10 series of measurements, 2 with the brightness amplifier) and in the diffuse field (3 series on sensor plans), in fluoroscopy and graphy. Results: in the diffuse field, dosimeters in the glove measured a decrease in dose, varying from 1 to 3. In the direct field, 7 measurements out of 10 showed an increase in dose in the glove (13 to 42%). 3/10 measurements showed an almost stable dose. Conclusion: our measurements show the efficiency ofleaded radiation attenuation gloves in the diffuse field. In the direct field, the radiation attenuation gloves increase the hand dose, because of the automatic tuning of the parameters. © EDP Sciences, 2011.Objectif : déterminer l’intérêt des gants radio-atténuateurs plombés pour diminuer l’exposition des mains des opérateurs, en radiologie interventionnelle et au bloc opératoire. Matériel et méthode : on a utilisé des gants radio-atténuateurs plombés du marché, des dosimètres TLD thermoluminescents, un fantôme anthropomorphe de calibration en ostéodensitométrie, une main anthropomorphe. Les mesures étaient réalisées sur 2 installations : l’une avec capteurs plans, l’autre avec amplificateur de brillance. On a comparé les doses reçues par dosimètres sans et dans un gant, dans le champ direct (10 séries de mesures dont 2 avec amplificateur de brillance) et dans le diffusé (3 séries sur capteurs plans), en scopie et graphie. Résultats : dans le diffusé, les dosimètres dans le gant mesuraient une diminution de dose, variant de 1 à 3. Dans le champ direct, 7 mesures sur 10 montraient une augmentation de dose dans le gant (13 à 42 %). 3/10 mesures montraient une quasi stabilité de dose avec le gant (–3,3 % à +2 %). Conclusion : nos mesures objectivent une efficacité des gants radio-atténuateurs plombés dans le diffusé. Dans le rayonnement direct, le port des gants radio-atténuateurs plombés entraîne une augmentation de la dose – main, du fait des réglages automatiques des paramètres