Université de Sherbrooke

About: Université de Sherbrooke is a education organization based out in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Receptor. The organization has 14922 authors who have published 28783 publications receiving 792511 citations. The organization is also known as: Universite de Sherbrooke & Sherbrooke University.

Behavior of GFRP Reinforcing Bars Subjected to Extreme Temperatures

Abstract: Corrosion of steel reinforced concrete members has stimulated the research on fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) to be used as an internal reinforcement for concrete structures. The behavior of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforcing bars subjected to extreme temperatures is very critical for applications in North America, especially in Canada. There is a high demand for experimental studies to investigate the thermal stability of strength, along with the ultimate elongation, and modulus of GFRP bars. This paper evaluates the variation of mechanical properties of sand-coated GFRP reinforcing bars subjected to low temperatures (ranging from 0 to −100°C ) and elevated temperatures (ranging from 23 to 315°C ). Tensile, shear and flexural properties are investigated to get an overview of the thermal stability of mechanical properties of GFRP bars subjected to large variations of temperatures. Microstructural analyzes using scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), physical measurements by thermogravimetric...

Metabolically healthy but obese women: effect of an energy-restricted diet.

Abstract: To the Editor: A unique subset of obese individuals has been identified that appears to be protected against obesityrelated metabolic disturbances [1, 2]. These individuals, now known as ‘metabolically healthy but obese’ (MHO) individuals, display a favourable metabolic profile, characterised by high levels of insulin sensitivity, normal lipid and inflammation profiles and no sign of hypertension, despite having excessive body fatness. In fact, the metabolic profiles of MHO postmenopausal women are virtually indistinguishable from those of young lean women [3]. Interestingly, a recent longitudinal study reported that the protective metabolic profile observed in MHO individuals was associated with lower incidences of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases [4]. Moreover, evidence suggests that MHO individuals may account for as much as 20–30% of the obese population [5]. An important question that seems to be unresolved is whether MHO individuals would gain any metabolic benefit from weight loss. Indeed, several studies have shown that weight loss improves insulin sensitivity and metabolic abnormalities and reduces the risk for type 2 diabetes in obese individuals [6, 7]. However, attempts to achieve weight loss in MHO individuals, by way of diet, may be actually counterproductive and potentially harmful. One may even question the need to aggressively treat MHO individuals given their favourable metabolic profile. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of a 6 month energy-restricted diet on insulin sensitivity using the euglycaemic–hyperinsulinaemic clamp technique in a sample of MHO postmenopausal women. This study was approved by the ethics committee of the University of Montreal. After reading and signing the consent form, each participant was invited to the Metabolic Unit for testing. The women then entered a medically supervised 6 month weight loss programme, which aimed to reduce body weight by 10%. To achieve a level of energy restriction, the baseline resting metabolic rate was extrapolated over a 24 h period (kcal/min×1,440 min) and multiplied by an activity factor of 1.4, which corresponds to a sedentary state. Thereafter, instructions on how to follow a hypoenergetic diet Diabetologia (2008) 51:1752–1754 DOI 10.1007/s00125-008-1038-4

Edge detection algorithms for two-dimensional ecological data

Abstract: The widely advocated statement that ecotone movement may be useful in studies of the impacts of global warming implies not only the ecotones exist but that they can be delineated spatially. With sampled field data, the accuracy of the detected ecotone is related to the data type and its spatiotemporal resolution. In the present study, I introduce two edge detection algorithms for regularly (lattice—wombling) and irregularly (triangulation—wombling) two—dimensional sampled data. I investigate the reliability of these algorithms in detecting potential ecotones using simulated vegetation data that follow the individualistic, continuum—gradient, and community—type patterns. Ecotones were defined quantitatively as long narrow regions of high rates of change. Under this definition, significant ecotones were found mostly in the community—type patterns using either of the edge detection algorithms (lattice—wombling or triangulation—wombling) and a systematic or random sampling design, respectively. See full-text ...