Environmental factors and effects on breeding performances and housing in small laboratory rodents: A technical report

Based on their professional experience in large scale production of laboratory rodents, the authors report on some documented cases showing the effects of environmental factors on reproductive performances of the rodent strains they produce. Beyond continuation of the effect of a Simple environmental factor (temperature, light) the reported cases show that environmental effects must not be systematically generalized to several strains or, even less, to several species.Moreover, the incidence of associated (complex) factors, which cannot be evaluated without the opportunity of having a control sample must be emphasized. This last point is of major importance when comparing results coming from different laboratories although the maintain environmental factors are a priori identical

Idealized Slab Plasma approach for the study of Warm Dense Matter

Recently, warm dense matter (WDM) has emerged as an interdisciplinary field that draws increasing interest in plasma physics, condensed matter physics, high pressure science, astrophysics, inertial confinement fusion, as well as materials science under extreme conditions. To allow the study of well-defined WDM states, we have introduced the concept of idealized-slab plasmas that can be realized in the laboratory via (i) the isochoric heating of a solid and (ii) the propagation of a shock wave in a solid. The application of this concept provides new means for probing the dynamic conductivity, equation of state, ionization and opacity. These approaches are presented here using results derived from first-principles (density-functional type) theory, Thomas-Fermi type theory, and numerical simulations.Comment: 37 pages, 21 figures, available, pdf file only. To appear in: Laser and Particle beams. To appear more or less in this form in Laser and Particle beam

Du tâtonnement ethnographique au discernement de sens : enquêtes participatives en boucherie et dans la zone d'attente des mineurs isolés étrangers

Partant d’univers de recherche a priori éloignés – la boucherie et la zone d’attente des mineurs isolés étrangers – cet article repose sur une affirmation commune : pour rendre compte des catégories mobilisées par les enquêtés, il faut se mettre en situation de les percevoir. En ce qu’elle rend observable et descriptible le recours à des catégories in situ, l’ethnographie est apparue comme un moyen d’accéder à ce qui est constitutif des expériences de travail. L’enrôlement dans les actions en cours s’est réalisé selon des conditions d’entrée et des modalités distinctes : stagiaire volontaire et experte involontaire. En examinant les configurations d’enquête, l’article montre comment la modulation de la présence participative peut induire le déplacement de la problématique de recherche

Dielectric spectroscopy study of thermally-aged extruded model power cables

“Model” extruded power cables, having a much reduced geometry but using the same extrusion techniques and materials as full-sized cables, have been examined using dielectric spectroscopy techniques to study their thermal ageing effects. Cables insulated with homo-polymer XLPE and co-polymer of XLPE with micron-sized ethylene-butyl-acrylate (EBA) islands were studied by both frequency-domain and time-domain dielectric spectroscopy techniques after accelerated thermal ageing under 135°C for 60 days. In the frequency domain, a frequency response analyzer (FRA) was used to measure the frequency range from 10-4Hz to 1Hz at temperatures from 20°C to 80°C. In the time domain, a special charging/discharging current measurement system was developed to measure the frequencies from 10-1Hz to 102Hz. These techniques were chosen to cope with the extremely low dielectric losses of the model cables. The results are compared with those from new model power cables that were degassed at 80°C for 5 days. Thermal ageing was found to increase the low-frequency conductivity, permittivity and the discharging current. Both homo- and co-polymer cables have substantial increase of dielectric loss after ageing

Identification of a novel titin-cap/telethonin mutation in a Portuguese family with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous disease; there is still a large proportion of patients with no identified disease-causing mutation. Although the majority of mutations are found in the MYH7 and MYBPC3 genes, mutations in Z-disk-associated proteins have also been linked to HCM. METHODS: We assessed a small family with HCM based on family history, physical examination, 12-lead ECG, echocardiogram and magnetic resonance imaging. After exclusion of mutations in eleven HCM disease genes, we performed direct sequencing of the TCAP gene encoding the Z-disk protein titin-cap (also known as telethonin). RESULTS: We present a novel TCAP mutation in a small family affected by HCM. The identified p.C57W mutation showed a very low population frequency, as well as high conservation across species. All of the bioinformatic prediction tools used considered this mutation to be damaging/deleterious. Family members were screened for this new mutation and a co-segregation pattern was detected. Both affected members of this family presented with late-onset HCM, moderate asymmetric left ventricular hypertrophy, atrial fibrillation and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and low risk of sudden cardiac death. CONCLUSIONS: We present evidence supporting the classification of the TCAP p.C57W mutation, encoding the Z-disk protein titin-cap/telethonin as a new likely pathogenic variant of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, with a specific phenotype in the family under analysis

Early improvement of respiratory function after surgical plication for unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis

We reported an unusual case of symptomatic diaphragmatic paralysis in an elderly patient with progressive respiratory-dependent limitation of her daily activities. Surgical plication of the affected hemidiaphragm resulted in early clinical and physiological improvement

Structure of the Local-field factor of the 2-D electron fluid. Possible evidence for correlated scattering of electron pairs

The static local-field factor (LFF) of the 2-D electron fluid is calculated {\it nonperturbatively} using a mapping to a classical Coulomb fluid $\lbrack$Phys. Rev. Lett., {\bf 87}, 206$\rbrack$. The LFF for the paramagnetic fluid {\it differs markedly} from perturbation theory where a maximum near 2$k_F$ is expected. Our LFF has a quasi-linear small-k region leading to a maximum close to 3$k_F$, in agreent with currently available quantum Monte Carlo data. The structure in the LFF and its dependence on the density and temperature are interpretted as a signature of correlated scattering of electron pairs of opposite spin.The lack of structure at $2k_F$ implies weakened Friedel oscillations, Kohn anomalies etc.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, version 2 of condmat/0304034, see http://nrcphy1.phy.nrc.ca/ims/qp/chandre/chnc/ Changs in the text, figure 2 and updated reference