Inland navigation on french rivers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22032/dbt.40680 (pdf), https://doi.org/10.22032/dbt.40683 (csv), https://doi.org/10.22032/dbt.40682 (excel).International audienc

Lit mineur de la Loire

Les prospections subaquatiques dans le chenal actif de la Loire ont été menées dans le cadre d’une campagne de trois semaines qui s’est déroulée du 4 au 25 août 2018. Les données collectées complètent l’inventaire des sites immergés de la Loire moyenne. Le programme de prospections dans cette portion du fleuve, qui a débuté en 2003, a été interrompu pendant cinq années. En 2013 et 2014, les prospections prévues n’avaient pu être menées à bien en raison des conditions climatiques et hydrologiq..

Saint-Satur – Lit mineur de la Loire

En 2012, à Saint-Satur (Cher), une épave a été signalée par des riverains, M. et Mme Boursin. Elle se trouve côté rive droite, en face de Saint-Thibault et il s’agit d’une redécouverte, car cette épave a déjà été signalée dans la carte archéologique il y a cinquante ans : « La presse locale a signalé la découverte, pendant l’été 1962, un peu au large de Saint-Thibault, dans la Loire, de l’épave d’un bateau qui transportait des blocs de pierres. Le site a eu une certaine importance comme tête ..

Cytotoxic dendritic cells generated from cancer patients.

International audienceKnown for years as professional APCs, dendritic cells (DCs) are also endowed with tumoricidal activity. This dual role of DC as killers and messengers may have important implications for tumor immunotherapy. However, the tumoricidal activity of DCs has mainly been investigated in animal models. Cancer cells inhibit antitumor immune responses using numerous mechanisms, including the induction of immunosuppressive/ tolerogenic DCs that have lost their ability to present Ags in an immunogenic manner. In this study, we evaluated the possibility of generating tumor killer DCs from patients with advanced-stage cancers. We demonstrate that human monocyte-derived DCs are endowed with significant cytotoxic activity against tumor cells following activation with LPS. The mechanism of DC-mediated tumor cell killing primarily involves peroxynitrites. This observed cytotoxic activity is restricted to immature DCs. Additionally, after killing, these cytotoxic DCs are able to activate tumor Ag-specific T cells. These observations may open important new perspectives for the use of autologous cytotoxic DCs in cancer immunotherapy strategies

The French EO high spatial resolution hyperspectral dual mission - an update

More than 25 years of airborne imaging spectroscopy and spaceborne sensors such as Hyperion [1] or HICO [2] have clearly demonstrated the ability of such a remote sensing technique to produce value added information regarding surface composition and physical properties for a large variety of applications [3]. Scheduled missions such as EnMAP [4], HISUI [5] or PRISMA [6] prove the increased interest of the scientific community for such a type of remote sensing data. In France, after gathering a group of Science and Defence users of imaging spectrometry data (Groupe de Synthèse Hyperspectral, GSH [7]) to establish an up-to-date review of possible applications, define instrument specifications required for accurate, quantitative retrieval of diagnostic parameters, and identify fields of application where imaging spectrometry is a major contribution, CNES (French Space Agency) decided a pre-phase A study for an hyperspectral mission concept called HYPXIM (HYPerspectral-X IMagery), the main fields of applications of which were to be vegetation, coastal and inland waters, geosciences, urban environment, atmospheric sciences, cryosphere and Defence. During this pre-phase A, the feasibility of such a platform was evaluated, based on specific studies supported by Defence and a more accurate definition of reference radiances and instrument characteristics. Results also pointed to applications where high spatial resolution was necessary and would not be covered by the other foreseen hyperspectral missions. For example, in the case of ecosystem studies, it is generally agreed that many model variables and processes are not accurately represented and that upcoming sensors with improved spatial and spectral capabilities, such as higher resolution imaging spectrometers, are needed to further improve the quality and accuracy of model variables [8, 9]. The growing interest for urban environment related applications also emphasized the need for an increased spatial resolution [10, 11]. Finally, short revisit time is an issue for security and Defense as well as crisis monitoring. Table 1 summarizes the Science and Defence mission requirements at the end of pre-phase A. Two instrument designs were proposed by the industry (EADS-Astrium and Thales Alenia Space) based on these new requirements [12]: HYPXIM-Challenging, on a micro-satellite platform, with a 15 m pixel and HYPXIM-Performance, on a mini-satellite platform, with a 8 m pixel, and possible TIR hyperspectral capabilities. Both scenarios included a PAN camera with a 1.85 m pixel. Platform agility would allow for “on-event mode” with a 3-day revisit time. CNES decided to select HYPXIM-Performance, the system providing a higher spatial resolution (pixel ≤ 8 m, [13, 14]), but without TIR capabilities, for a phase A study [15]. This phase A was to start at the beginning of 2013 but is currently stopped due to budget constraints. An important part of the activities has been focusing on getting the French community more involved through various surveys and workshops in preparation for the CNES prospective meeting, an important step for the future of the mission. During this prospective meeting, which took place last March, decision was taken to keep HYPXIM alive as a mid-term (2020-2025) mission. The attendance at the recent workshop organized by the SFPT-GH (Société Française de Photogrammétrie et Télédétection, Groupe Hyperspectral) which gathered more than 90 participants from various field of application, including the industry (see http://www.sfpt.fr/hyperspectral for more details), demonstrates the interest and support of the French scientific community for a high spatial resolution imaging spectrometry mission

No lack of regulatory B cells in patients with Multiple Sclerosis

International audienc

Multiplication of microbes below 0.690 water activity: implications for terrestrial and extraterrestrial life

Since a key requirement of known life-forms is available water (water-activity; aw), searches for signatures of past life in terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments have recently targeted places known to have contained significant quantities of biologically available water. The lower limit of water activity that enables cell division is ~0.605 which, until now, was only known to be exhibited by a single eukaryote; the sugar-tolerant, fungal xerophile Xeromyces bisporus. The first forms of life on Earth were, however, prokaryotic. Furthermore, early life on Earth inhabited high-salt environments, suggesting an ability to withstand low water activity. Recent evidence indicates that some halophilic Archaea and Bacteria have water activity limits more or less equal to those of X. bisporus. Regardless of species, cellular systems are sensitive to minute differences in water activity (of w-units) so there is a need to determine water-activity values to three decimal places. We discuss water activity in relation to the limits of Earth’s present-day biosphere; the possibility of microbial multiplication by utilizing water from thin, aqueous films or non-liquid sources; whether prokaryotes were the first organisms able to multiply at the 0.605-aw limit; and whether extraterrestrial aqueous milieu of ≥0.605 aw can resemble fertile microbial habitats found on Earth

Changing geographical patterns and trends in cancer incidence in children and adolescents in Europe, 1991–2010 (Automated Childhood Cancer Information System): a population-based study

Background: A deceleration in the increase in cancer incidence in children and adolescents has been reported in several national and regional studies in Europe. Based on a large database representing 1·3 billion person-years over the period 1991–2010, we provide a consolidated report on cancer incidence trends at ages 0–19 years. Methods: We invited all population-based cancer registries operating in European countries to participate in this population-based registry study. We requested a listing of individual records of cancer cases, including sex, age, date of birth, date of cancer diagnosis, tumour sequence number, primary site, morphology, behaviour, and the most valid basis of diagnosis. We also requested population counts in each calendar year by sex and age for the registration area, from official national sources, and specific information about the covered area and registration practices. An eligible registry could become a contributor if it provided quality data for all complete calendar years in the period 1991–2010. Incidence rates and the average annual percentage change with 95% CIs were reported for all cancers and major diagnostic groups, by region and overall, separately for children (age 0–14 years) and adolescents (age 15–19 years). We examined and quantified the stability of the trends with joinpoint analyses. Findings: For the years 1991–2010, 53 registries in 19 countries contributed a total of 180 335 unique cases. We excluded 15 162 (8·4%) of 180 335 cases due to differing practices of registration, and considered the quality indicators for the 165 173 cases included to be satisfactory. The average annual age-standardised incidence was 137·5 (95% CI 136·7–138·3) per million person-years and incidence increased significantly by 0·54% (0·44–0·65) per year in children (age 0–14 years) with no change in trend. In adolescents, the combined European incidence was 176·2 (174·4–178·0) per million person-years based on all 35 138 eligible cases and increased significantly by 0·96% (0·73–1·19) per year, although recent changes in rates among adolescents suggest a deceleration in this increasing trend. We observed temporal variations in trends by age group, geographical region, and diagnostic group. The combined age-standardised incidence of leukaemia based on 48 458 cases in children was 46·9 (46·5–47·3) per million person-years and increased significantly by 0·66% (0·48–0·84) per year. The average overall incidence of leukaemia in adolescents was 23·6 (22·9–24·3) per million person-years, based on 4702 cases, and the average annual change was 0·93% (0·49–1·37). We also observed increasing incidence of lymphoma in adolescents (average annual change 1·04% [0·65–1·44], malignant CNS tumours in children (average annual change 0·49% [0·20–0·77]), and other tumours in both children (average annual change 0·56 [0·40–0·72]) and adolescents (average annual change 1·17 [0·82–1·53]). Interpretation: Improvements in the diagnosis and registration of cancers over time could partly explain the observed increase in incidence, although some changes in underlying putative risk factors cannot be excluded. Cancer incidence trends in this young population require continued monitoring at an international level. Funding: Federal Ministry of Health of the Federal German Government, the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme, and International Agency for Research on Cancer