Rapid thermal processing of CuInSe2 electroplated precursors for CuIn(S,Se)2-based thin film solar cells

International audienceDuring the elaboration of standard CISEL™cells, electroplated CuInSe2 precursors undergo a rapid thermal processing (RTP) in a sulfur-containing atmosphere to promote grain growth and enable sulfurization of the precursor. The aim of this work is to show how structural and morphological properties of the CuIn(S,Se)2-based solar cells can be modified with RTP parameters, namely temperature, heating rate, and sulfur addition. X-ray diffractograms show that the preferential (112) orientation of the electrodeposited CuInSe2 precursor is maintained after annealing but the coefficient of crystallographic texture can be modified with specific RTP parameters. It is also shown that the quantity of sulfur incorporated in the chalcopyrite lattice can be controlled and reaches almost pure CuInS2 according to the sulfur quantity used during the RTP. Another effect of the RTP annealing is to form a Mo(S,Se)2 layer which can lead to a quasi-ohmic contact between the molybdenum and the absorber. The properties of the Mo(S,Se)2 buffer layer are also studied according to the process parameters and an increase of the annealing temperature or of the sulfur concentration tends to increase the thickness of this laye

Development and validation of an interpretable machine learning-based calculator for predicting 5-year weight trajectories after bariatric surgery: a multinational retrospective cohort SOPHIA study

Background Weight loss trajectories after bariatric surgery vary widely between individuals, and predicting weight loss before the operation remains challenging. We aimed to develop a model using machine learning to provide individual preoperative prediction of 5-year weight loss trajectories after surgery. Methods In this multinational retrospective observational study we enrolled adult participants (aged $\ge$18 years) from ten prospective cohorts (including ABOS [NCT01129297], BAREVAL [NCT02310178], the Swedish Obese Subjects study, and a large cohort from the Dutch Obesity Clinic [Nederlandse Obesitas Kliniek]) and two randomised trials (SleevePass [NCT00793143] and SM-BOSS [NCT00356213]) in Europe, the Americas, and Asia, with a 5 year followup after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric band. Patients with a previous history of bariatric surgery or large delays between scheduled and actual visits were excluded. The training cohort comprised patients from two centres in France (ABOS and BAREVAL). The primary outcome was BMI at 5 years. A model was developed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator to select variables and the classification and regression trees algorithm to build interpretable regression trees. The performances of the model were assessed through the median absolute deviation (MAD) and root mean squared error (RMSE) of BMI. Findings10 231 patients from 12 centres in ten countries were included in the analysis, corresponding to 30 602 patient-years. Among participants in all 12 cohorts, 7701 (75$\bullet$3%) were female, 2530 (24$\bullet$7%) were male. Among 434 baseline attributes available in the training cohort, seven variables were selected: height, weight, intervention type, age, diabetes status, diabetes duration, and smoking status. At 5 years, across external testing cohorts the overall mean MAD BMI was 2$\bullet$8 kg/m${}^2$ (95% CI 2$\bullet$6-3$\bullet$0) and mean RMSE BMI was 4$\bullet$7 kg/m${}^2$ (4$\bullet$4-5$\bullet$0), and the mean difference between predicted and observed BMI was-0$\bullet$3 kg/m${}^2$ (SD 4$\bullet$7). This model is incorporated in an easy to use and interpretable web-based prediction tool to help inform clinical decision before surgery. InterpretationWe developed a machine learning-based model, which is internationally validated, for predicting individual 5-year weight loss trajectories after three common bariatric interventions.Comment: The Lancet Digital Health, 202

French cinema of the 1920s and art deco

International audienceThe book Modern Taste: Art Deco in Paris, 1910–1935 aims to offer visitors an opportunity to appreciate, examine, assess and enjoy an artistic movement that defies easy definition but which has been described as "the last of the total styles": Art Deco. This is the first exhibition devoted to this movement held in Spain, and it is also the first to be presented outside a general or decorative arts museum, in an institution whose exhibition program is primarily given over to modern art

Exploration des Propriétés Multifonctionnelles des composés de formulation Bi_(2-x)La_xWO₆

National audienc

Phenotypic plasticity in the invasive pest Drosophila suzukii : activity rhythms and gene expression in response to temperature

International audienc

Quel type de DAC pour mesurer l'ingestion et le comportement alimentaire des oies ?

Un nourrisseur électronique dédié aux canards, plus communément appelés distributeur automatique de concentré (DAC), a été développé ces dernières années par l’INRA pour mesurer l’ingestion individuelle d’animaux élevés en groupe. L’objectif de cette étude est d’adapter ce DAC à l’oie en comparant deux modèles de DAC, l’un équipé de portes à l’entrée du couloir d’accès et l’autre non, lors de phases d’alimentation ad libitum et rationnée. Le dispositif doit ainsi permettre d’isoler l’animal pour collecter des données fiables, tout en ayant une configuration simple de façon à perturber le moins possible le comportement des animaux. L’impact de ces portes a été évalué pendant deux périodes où la pression autour du dispositif est accrue, sur deux lots de 34 oies conduits sur chacun des deux DAC. La première période correspondait à un rationnement volumétrique du groupe (15 à 19 semaines d’âge), et la seconde à la phase de relâchement ad libitum immédiatement après (20 à 22 semaines d’âge). Avec le DAC sans porte, 73,4 % de l’aliment consommé n’était pas attribuable à un seul individu. En revanche, les portes permettent un meilleur isolement de l’animal : 81,1 % d’aliment consommé attribué à un seul individu avec le DAC avec portes. De plus, avec une densité de 34 oies par distributeur, le DAC avec portes n’est pas saturé, le temps maximal d’occupation du distributeur étant de 10,25 h par jour. Enfin, grâce au DAC, il est possible de décrire finement des différences de comportement alimentaire tout au long de l’élevage des animaux. Quotidiennement, une oie passe en moyenne près de deux fois plus de temps au DAC en période d’alimentation à volonté qu’en période de restriction alimentaire (+ 434 s, P = 0,0008). Ad libitum, les visites sont plus courtes (- 99 s, P < 0,0001) mais plus nombreuses qu’en restriction alimentaire (+ 5,3 visites, P < 0,0001).An electronic feeder dedicated to ducks, more commonly known as single place electronic feeders (SEF), has been developed in recent years by INRA to record individual ingestion of animals raised in groups. The objective of this study is to adapt this SEF to the goose by comparing two models of SEF, one fitted with doors at the entrance of the corridor and the other without, during ad libitum and restriction feeding phases. The device must isolate enough the animal to collect reliable data, while keeping a simple configuration to preserve a normal animal behavior. The impact of these doors was assessed during two time periods when the pressure to access the device is increased, on two batches of 34 geese tested with each of the SEF. During the first period, a volumetric feed restriction of the group was applied (15 to 19 weeks of age), whereas the second period was following the first one ad libitum (20 to 22 weeks of age). With the SEF without door, 73.4% of the feed consumed was not attributable to a single individual. In contrast, the doors allowed a better isolation of the animal: 81.1% of the feed consumed was assigned to a single individual with the SEF with doors. In addition, with 34 geese per feeder, the SEF with doors was not saturated, showing a maximum occupancy time of 10.25 hours per day. Finally, thanks to the SEF, it is possible to accurately describe feeding behavior differences during growth. Daily, geese spent on average twice as long at the SEF during the ad libitum period as during a feed restriction period (+434s, P = 0.0008). During ad libitum feeding, the visits were shorter (-99s, P < 0.0001) but more numerous than during restriction (+5.3 visits, P < 0.0001)

Liposomes as Gene Delivery Vectors for Human Placental Cells

Nanomedicine as a therapeutic approach for pregnancy-related diseases could offer improved treatments for the mother while avoiding side effects for the fetus. In this study, we evaluated the potential of liposomes as carriers for small interfering RNAs to placental cells. Three neutral formulations carrying rhodamine-labelled siRNAs were evaluated on an in vitro model, i.e., human primary villous cytotrophoblasts. siRNA internalization rate from lipoplexes were compared to the one in the presence of the lipofectamine reagent and assessed by confocal microscopy. Results showed cellular internalization of nucleic acid with all three formulations, based on two cationic lipids, either DMAPAP or CSL-3. Moreover, incubation with DMAPAP+AA provided a rate of labelled cells as high as with lipofectamine (53 &plusmn; 15% and 44 &plusmn; 12%, respectively) while being more biocompatible. The proportion of cells which internalized siRNA were similar when using DMAPAP/DDSTU (16 &plusmn; 5%) and CSL-3 (22 &plusmn; 5%). This work highlights that liposomes could be a promising approach for gene therapy dedicated to pregnant patients

Gestion de la fonction de filtration et de régulation des contaminants par les sols

Le sol, régulateur de la quantité et de la qualité de l’eauLa gestion des sols agricoles pour réduire la contamination des milieux aquatiquesLa gestion des sols urbains et péri-urbains pour réguler les flux et épurer les eauxConclusionBibliographi

Gestion de la fonction de filtration et de régulation des contaminants par les sols

Le sol, régulateur de la quantité et de la qualité de l’eauLa gestion des sols agricoles pour réduire la contamination des milieux aquatiquesLa gestion des sols urbains et péri-urbains pour réguler les flux et épurer les eauxConclusionBibliographi

Presynaptic APP levels and synaptic homeostasis are regulated by Akt phosphorylation of Huntingtin

International audienceStudies have suggested that amyloid precursor protein (APP) regulates synaptic homeostasis, but the evidence has not been consistent. In particular, signaling pathways controlling APP transport to the synapse in axons and dendrites remain to be identified. Having previously shown that Huntingtin (HTT), the scaffolding protein involved in Huntington's disease, regulates neuritic transport of APP, we used a microfluidic corticocortical neuronal network-on-a-chip to examine APP transport and localization to the pre- and post-synaptic compartments. We found that HTT, upon phosphorylation by the Ser/Thr kinase Akt, regulates APP transport in axons but not dendrites. Expression of an unphosphorylatable HTT decreased axonal anterograde transport of APP, reduced presynaptic APP levels, and increased synaptic density. Ablating in vivo HTT phosphorylation in APPPS1 mice, which overexpress APP, reduced presynaptic APP levels, restored synapse number and improved learning and memory. The Akt-HTT pathway and axonal transport of APP thus regulate APP presynaptic levels and synapse homeostasis