Control of the Austenite recrystallization in Niobium Microalloyed steels

The use of heavy gauge steel sheets for structural applications very often requires a combination of high yield strength and adequate toughness. The most cost effective way to realize a high yield strength and a high ductility in a low alloyed steel is grain refinement. In industrial practice, this refinement is realized by controlled processing. This process consists of controlling the slab reheating temperature, applying a large amount of hot deformation below the nonrecrystallization temperature (T-nr) and accelerated cooling. A better knowledge of T-nr could optimize the process and the best mechanical properties could be reached against the lowest cost. T-nr can be raised by the addition of microalloying elements such as Nb. Nb can retard the static recrystallization of austenite at low temperatures either by solute drag or by precipitation pinning. In this study, the recrystallization behavior of five Nb-microalloyed model alloys with various Nb contents, was evaluated by double hit compression tests. Further, the precipitation state of the materials was investigated experimentally by Inductively Couples Mass Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction. The construction of recrystallization-time-temperature diagrams and precipitation-time-temperature diagrams showed that both mechanisms, i.e. recrystallization and precipitation, strongly influence each other

Education in cartography: what is the status of young people's map-reading skills?

Due to recent technological progress, maps have become more popular than ever before. This is especially true for young people, who interact with these technologies on a daily basis. Therefore, it is essential that these potential map users possess sufficient knowledge and skills to process the content of cartographic products. A user study was conducted during which pupils (aged 11-18years) and geography students (>18years) had to solve a number of cartography questions using topographic maps. The data were analyzed statistically, taking into account a number of potentially influencing factors (user characteristics) on the participants' results: age, gender, youth club membership, knowledge about the area, among others. The results show a rising trend in the pupils' scores with increasing age, which can be explained by education in cartography at school. Geography students perform much better, but no influence of any other user characteristics was detected. For pupils, knowledge about the area and gender might be considered as influencing factors. However, the detected influence of gender depends on the scoring system

Development of high-performances monolithic CMOS detectors for space applications

This paper describes the development of a 750x750 pixels CMOS image sensor for star tracker applications. A first demonstrator of such a star tracker called SSM star tracker built around a 512x512 detector has been recently developed and proves the feasibility of such instrument. In order to take fully advantage of the CMOS image sensor step, the 750x750 device called SSM CMOS detector which will take part of the final star tracker, can be considered as a major technical breakthrough that gives a decisive advantage in terms of on satellite implementation cost and flexibility (sensor mass and power consumption minimisation, electronics and architecture flexibility). Indeed, built using the 0.5μm Alcatel Microelectronics standard CMOS technology, the SSM CMOS detector will feature on-chip temperature sensor and on-chip sequencer. In order to evaluate the radiation tolerance of such manufacturing technology, a radiation campaign that contains studies of total dose and latch-up effects has been led on a specific test vehicle

L’indemnisation des victimes d’accidents de la circulation en Europe

International audienceÀ une époque où, à l’intérieur de l’Union européenne, la circulation automobile s’effectue pratiquement sans obstacle d’un pays à l’autre, et où les frontières sont presque invisibles, il peut paraître paradoxal que les règles d’indemnisation des victimes d’accidents automobiles restent profondément différentes d’un pays à l’autre. Alors que certains pays ont mis en place des régimes d’indemnisation spécifiques, d’autres continuent d’appliquer les règles du droit commun de la responsabilité civile, plus ou moins favorables aux victimes.Le présent ouvrage, issu d’un séminaire organisé à Luxembourg les 14 et 15 décembre 2012 par le Groupe européen de recherche sur la responsabilité civile et l’assurance (GRERCA) avec le concours du Groupe de droit privé européen de l’Université du Luxembourg, dresse pour la première fois un état des lieux mettant en évidence les ressemblances et les divergences en la matière entre les principaux droits nationaux des pays d’Europe, tant en ce qui concerne les conditions et l’étendue du droit à indemnisation que la mise en oeuvre procédurale et le rôle de l’assurance. Les présentations théoriques des différents systèmes sont illustrées par la résolution comparative d’un certain nombre de cas pratiques

Hemispheric competence for auditory spatial representation

Sound localization relies on the analysis of interaural time and intensity differences, as well as attenuation patterns by the outer ear. We investigated the relative contributions of interaural time and intensity difference cues to sound localization by testing 60 healthy subjects: 25 with focal left and 25 with focal right hemispheric brain damage. Group and single-case behavioural analyses, as well as anatomo-clinical correlations, confirmed that deficits were more frequent and much more severe after right than left hemispheric lesions and for the processing of interaural time than intensity difference cues. For spatial processing based on interaural time difference cues, different error types were evident in the individual data. Deficits in discriminating between neighbouring positions occurred in both hemispaces after focal right hemispheric brain damage, but were restricted to the contralesional hemispace after focal left hemispheric brain damage. Alloacusis (perceptual shifts across the midline) occurred only after focal right hemispheric brain damage and was associated with minor or severe deficits in position discrimination. During spatial processing based on interaural intensity cues, deficits were less severe in the right hemispheric brain damage than left hemispheric brain damage group and no alloacusis occurred. These results, matched to anatomical data, suggest the existence of a binaural sound localization system predominantly based on interaural time difference cues and primarily supported by the right hemisphere. More generally, our data suggest that two distinct mechanisms contribute to: (i) the precise computation of spatial coordinates allowing spatial comparison within the contralateral hemispace for the left hemisphere and the whole space for the right hemisphere; and (ii) the building up of global auditory spatial representations in right temporo-parietal cortice

Approche projective de la représentation de soi des adolescents de fratrie avec autisme

International audienceLes auteurs présentent un résumé d'une recherche clinique sur la façon dont fonctionne l'identité d'adolescents ayant un frère ou une soeur autiste. L'objectif de cet article est d'illustrer cette recherche-source par la présentation d'un cas clinique qui montre l'apport de la méthode projective pour la compréhension des forces et fragilités psychiques des adolescents ayant grandi avec un frère ou une soeur autiste. Une revue de littérature de travaux français et nord-américains permet d'éclairer les enjeux psychiques de jeunes typiques se développant dans un environnement atypique et les deux épreuves projectives (Rorschach et TAT) permettent de mener une exploration des fondements de l'identité : l'estime de soi ; la représentation de soi ; les assises narcissiques ; les images du corps. La représentation de soi apparaît nettement altérée chez les adolescents du groupe d'étude, ses différentes composantes sont fragilisées et génèrent des désadaptations sensibles. Le repli relationnel tend à dominer dès que le sujet se trouve face à un enjeu affectif qui ne manque pas d'advenir à cette période juvénile de la vie. Des pistes de recherche et des propositions préventives sont énoncées