Showing papers by "University of Lorraine published in 2009"

Shortened telomeres in circulating leukocytes of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Abstract: Rationale: Telomere length is considered a marker for biological aging. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be associated with premature aging.Objectives: To test the hypothesis that patients with COPD experience accelerated telomere shortening and that inflammation is linked to this process.Methods: We measured telomere length, using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction–based method, and plasma levels of various cytokines in 136 patients with COPD, 113 age- and sex-matched smokers, and 42 nonsmokers with normal lung function.Measurements and Main Results: Median (range) telomere length ratio was significantly lower in patients with COPD (0.57 [0.23–1.18]) than in control smokers (0.79 [0.34–1.58]) or nonsmokers (0.85 [0.38–1.55]) (P < 0.001). The difference remained highly significant when using logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, and tobacco exposure. Both females and males with COPD had shorter telomere length than same-sex control subjects. Telomere length was related ...

Dislocation transport and intermittency in the plasticity of crystalline solids

Abstract: When envisioned at the relevant length scale, plasticity of crystalline solids consists in the transport of dislocations through the lattice. In this paper, transport of dislocations is evidenced by experimental data gathered from high-resolution extensometry carried out on copper single crystals in tension. Spatiotemporal kinematic fields display spatial correlation through characteristic lines intermittently covered by plastic activity. Intermittency shows temporal correlation and power-law distribution of avalanche size. Interpretation of this phenomenon is proposed within the framework of a field dislocation theory attacking the combined problem of dislocation transport and long-range internal stress field development. Intermittency and transport properties show remarkable independence from sample size, aspect ratio, loading rate, and strain-rate sensitivity of the flow stress.

Optimal Thermodynamics—New Upperbounds

Abstract: This paper reviews how ideas have evolved in this field from the pioneering work of CARNOT right up to the present. The coupling of thermostatics with thermokinetics (heat and mass transfers) and entropy or exergy analysis is illustrated through study of thermomechanical engines such as the Carnot heat engine, and internal combustion engines. The benefits and importance of stagnation temperature and irreversibility parameters are underlined. The main situations of constrained (or unconstrained) optimization are defined, discussed and illustrated. The result of this study is a new branch of thermodynamics: Finite Dimensions Optimal Thermodynamics (FDOT).

New Evidence on Class Size Effects : A Pupil Fixed Effects Approach

Abstract: The impact of class size on student achievement remains a thorny question for educational decision makers. Meta-analyses of empirical studies emphasise the absence of class-size effects but detractors have argued against such pessimistic conclusions because many of the underlying studies have not paid attention to the endogeneity of class-size. This paper uses a stringent method to address the endogeneity problem using TIMSS data on 45 countries. We measure the class size effect by relating the difference in a student’s achievement across subjects to the difference in his/her class-size across subjects. This (subject-differenced) within-pupil achievement production function avoids the problem of the non-random matching of children to specific schools, and to classes within schools. The results show a statistically significant effect of class size for 16 countries but in only 10 of them is the effect negative, and the effect size is very small in most cases. Several robustness tests are carried out, including control for students’ subject-specific ability and subject-specific teacher characteristics, and correction for possible measurement error. Thus, our stringent approach to addressing the problem endogeneity confirms the findings of meta-analyses that find little support for class size effects. We find that class-size effects are smaller in resource-rich countries than in developing countries, supporting the idea that the adverse effect of larger classes increases with class-size. We also find that class size effects are smaller in regions with higher teacher quality.

RELATION BETWEEN CONDUCTIVITY AND ION CONTENT IN URBAN WASTEWATER Relation entre conductivité et composition ionique dan les eaux usées urbaines

Abstract: Wastewater conductivity has been monitored for extended periods of time by in situ probes and on grabbed samples in four communities (from 1,000 to 350,000 PE). In parallel, the concentrations of the main ionic contributors, such as calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, ammonium, orthophosphate, chloride and sulphate have been measured and their variations with respect to time compared to human activity patterns. It appears that sodium, potassium, ammonium and ortho-phosphate, which contribute to about 34% to wastewater conductivity, exhibit diurnal variations in phase with human activity evaluated by absorbance at 254 nm. However calcium (≈ 22% of wastewater conductivity) is out-of-phase. This release, ahead of the one of other cations and anions, could be related to sewer concrete corrosion or to groundwater infiltration. The combination of these different ionic contributions creates a conductivity pattern which cannot be easily related to human activity. It makes difficult to integrate conductivity in a monitoring system able to detect ion-related abnormalities in wastewater quality.

Hydration increases cell metabolism

Abstract: The recent article by Mathai et al.1 published in the International Journal of Obesity entitled ‘Selective reduction in body fat mass and plasma leptin induced by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition in rats’ is very interesting for a number of reasons but perhaps one of the most important is the fact that the treated rats drank twice the amount of water (about 80 ml day−1) as the non-treated controls (about 40 ml day−1). This is a large difference that would have the effect of increasing the flow of water through the body. The authors discuss this point and cite four other studies that have also found increased water intake with renin–angiotensin system inhibition. They suggest possible mechanisms for this enhanced drinking as being due to an increased presence, and thus action, of angiotensin in the brain due to ACE inhibition in the periphery and/or due to urine loss. Both of these are credible physiological mechanisms but they need to be demonstrated.

A new approach to indoor accessibility

Abstract: The process of evaluating the accessibility to manipulation in a built environment is linked to the determination of accessibility in its overall meaning (access, move, use). This amounts to evaluate all the possible movements of an articulated structure taking into account the constraints due to the environment and the mobility device (trolley or wheelchair). It is important to ask the question: how the environment is accessible? Given these assumptions, the process of evaluating the accessibility is formulated as a problem of inverse kinematics of an articulated structure (mobility device and user) by verifying that the end effector (the hand) can reach objects in the environment taking into account the constraints related to the degree of disability and those related to the nature of the environment. The approach is demonstrated on simulated environments using the techniques of virtual reality.

An Exact Method for the 2D Guillotine Strip Packing Problem

Abstract: We consider the two-dimensional strip packing problem with guillotine cuts. The problem consists in packing a set of rectangular items on one strip of width and infinite height. The items packed without overlapping must be extracted by a series of cuts that go from one edge to the opposite edge (guillotine constraint). To solve this problem, we use a dichotomic algorithm that uses a lower bound, an upper bound, and a feasibility test algorithm. The lower bound is based on solving a linear program by introducing new valid inequalities. A new heuristic is used to compute the upper bound. Computational results show that the dichotomic algorithm, using the new bounds, gives good results compared to existing methods.

The ring structure for equivariant twisted K-theory

Abstract: We prove, under some mild conditions, that the equivariant twisted K-theory group of a crossed module admits a ring structure if the twisting 2-cocycle is 2multiplicative. We also give an explicit construction of the transgression map T1 : H(Γ•;A) → H∗−1((N o Γ)•;A) for any crossed module N → Γ and prove that any element in the image is ∞-multiplicative. As a consequence, we prove that, under some mild conditions, for a crossed module N → Γ and any e ∈ Ž(Γ•;S), that the equivariant twisted K-theory group K∗ e,Γ(N) admits a ring structure. As an application, we prove that for a compact, connected and simply connected Lie group G, the equivariant twisted K-theory group K∗ [c],G(G) is endowed with a canonical ring structureK [c],G(G)⊗K j+d [c],G(G)→ K i+j+d [c],G (G), where d = dimG and [c] ∈ H ((GoG)•;S).

Structure-properties relationship in reactively sputtered Ag-Cu-O films

Abstract: Ag–Cu–O films were deposited on glass substrates by pulsed dc sputtering of a silver–copper target (Ag50Cu50) in reactive Ar–O2 mixtures. The film chemical composition was estimated by x-ray energy dispersive spectrometry and the structure was studied by x-ray diffraction (XRD). Optical properties (reflectance and transmittance) and room temperature electrical resistivity were evaluated using spectrophotometry and the four point probe method, respectively. Since silver atoms are less reactive versus oxygen than copper ones, the increase in the oxygen flow rate introduced into the deposition chamber induced the preferential oxidation of sputtered copper atoms. XRD analysis showed that the structure of the deposited films can be divided into three domains. At low oxygen flow rate, the films were biphased (metallic silver-based solid solution and crystalline copper-based oxide). At intermediate oxygen flow rate, the films were x-ray amorphous (grain size lower than 2 nm). At high oxygen flow rate, the films contained a crystalline silver–copper oxide phase and a crystalline unknown phase. Thanks to the absorption band of silver in the UV range, reflectance measurements were used to show the occurrence of metallic silver phase in the films. It was shown that the chemical environment of silver atoms in the x-ray amorphous region evolved from metallic to oxide when the oxygen flow rate increased. Transmittance evolution versus the oxygen flow rate were well correlated with that of the electrical resistivity. The evolution of Ag–Cu–O film properties was discussed in connection with the structure and chemical composition.

Unions and workplace performance in Britain and France

Abstract: Using nationally representative workplace surveys we examine the relationship between unionization and workplace financial performance in Britain and France. We find that union bargaining is detrimental to workplace performance in Britain and that this effect is larger when unionization is endogenized. In France, union bargaining is associated with poorer workplace performance but the effect disappears once unionization is treated as endogenous. However, high levels of union density do have a negative impact on workplace performance in France. In Britain the union effect does not rise with union density.

The Dynamics of the Legal System

Abstract: We present a dynamic model of noncontractual litigation in which the parties' decision whether to litigate depends on information produced by courts and, vice versa, the courts' involvement in the lawmaking process depends on the cases proposed by the parties. Thereby, we integrate in one model the two main functions of the judiciary (adjudication and lawmaking) and study their interplay. Our model offers a dynamic, cyclical perspective on the evolution of the legal system over time and sheds new light on the causes for high litigation rates and on judge-made law versus statutes.

Les pôles de compétitivité ou le retour ambigu des déclinaisons locales de la politique industrielle française

Abstract: Poles of competitiveness, the ambiguous comeback of local applications of the French industrial policy - The French experiment of the "Poles de competitivite" is an original initiative of the French authorities in order to promote innovation-oriented collaborations and synergies between large firms, small companies and public research centres at the regional level. As such, it represents a striking revival of industrial policy and governmentguided programs towards supporting regional projects in terms of economic development. Launched in 2005, this policy is still pursued successfully, despite some ambiguities, in particular those concerning the large geographic dispersion of the projects supported and the financial support concentrated on a few very large clusters. Keywords: poles of competitiveness, innovation, industrial policy, local development Parole chiave: poli di competitivita, innovazione, politica industriale, sviluppo locale Jel Classification: O25 - O3-– R3

Currency transaction tax elasticity: an econometric estimation

Abstract: This article endeavours to measure the elasticity of the volume of the currency exchange transactions to a tax on them. The analysis is principally based on cointegration techniques. This paper is the fi rst attempt to estimate the infl uence of a currency transaction tax on the foreign exchange market volume trading. The econometric estimations suggest that the forex trading volume could be signifi cantly reduced by a Tobin tax. Nevertheless, elasticities are heterogeneous with respect to the currency pairs: the largest elasticities are the euro/dollar and sterling/dollar currency pairs that are also the most traded exchange parities. The values of the estimates are lower when the SURE (Seemingly Unrelated Regression Equations) estimator is used than when the panel estimation is implemented.

Evaluation multicritère de la durabilité agro-environnementale de systèmes de polyculture élevage laitiers biologiques

Abstract: L'equipe de recherche de l'INRA de Mirecourt travaille au prototypage de systemes agricoles durables sur le plan agro-environnemental. Ce travail vise a determiner les conditions pratiques de la mise en œuvre de systemes agricoles a priori durables. Ainsi, deux systemes laitiers biologiques a priori durables ont ete concus dans le cadre d'une demarche "participative": un systeme laitier herbager et un systeme de polyculture elevage laitier testes dans le cadre d'une experimentation systeme. Ces systemes visent a atteindre des objectifs agricoles et environnementaux. Ils sont conduits suivant des regles de decision multi-objectifs, formalisant le pilotage des systemes, et sont evalues sur les plans biotechniques et pratiques via un dispositif experimental pluriannuel structure, complete par le recours a une evaluation assistee par modeles. Ce dispositif d'evaluation est mis au service de la re-conception afin d'ameliorer "pas a pas" (i) la durabilite agro-environnementale des systemes evalues et (ii) les conditions pratiques de mise en œuvre de ces systemes de production durables sur le plan agro-environnemental.Les connaissances issues de cette demarche de conception:evaluation, centree sur l'experimentation systeme, necessiteront une validation par une confrontation a des situations d'exploitations agricoles commerciales.

Optimal Discretion in Asylum Law Making

Abstract: This paper develops a regulatory competition model to study whether and how refugee law should be centralized, and what are the consequences for refugees and for host countries. Varying refugee flows across countries lead some destinations to adopt strict measures. The resulting externality leads to a generalized “race to the bottom” of asylum law. Neither fixed nor minimum standard harmonization are found to be in the interest of both host countries. Especially the most popular destinations like EU border countries would suffer from losing discretion. However, minimum standards would benefit refugees and less popular destinations.

Graphics recognition: what else?

Abstract: This paper tries to sum up the discussions held during the sessions of GREC'09, as well as at the final panel session. As it is always good to know where you are coming from, the paper briefly takes a look back at the discussions held two years earlier, before looking ahead at the future challenges for our research community. A number of points raised two years ago remain very much valid, but we also try to identify some new grand challenges for the field of graphics recognition.

On unilateral divorce and the “selection of marriages” hypothesis

Abstract: In this paper, the unilateral divorce law is modelled trough the combination of exclusive rights on the marriage dissolution and alternative compensation rules benefiting to the parent having custody of the children. Their influence are studied both in the short run (probability and efficiency of divorce and in the long run (selection of marriages). We show that a decrease in the costs of divorce proceedings has by no means commonplace consequences on the marriage contracting; particularly when consideration of parents' altruism and child support is introduced, more marriages are contracted when the cost of divorces decreases.

Solving hypertree structured CSP : Sequential and parallel approaches

Abstract: Solving CSP is in general NP-Complete. However, there are various subsets of CSPs that can be solved in polynomial time. Some of them can be identified by analyzing their structure. Unfortunately the proposed methods for exploiting these structural proprieties are not efficient in practice. So exploiting these structural properties for solving CSPs is a crucial challenge. In this paper, we propose ecient algorithms which exploit these structural proprieties, for both sequential and parallel resolutions. Some experiments done on academic benchmarks show the eciciency of our approach.

Navigation in tilings of the hyperbolic plane and possible applications

Abstract: This paper introduces a method of nav- igation in a large family of tilings of the hyperbolic plane and looks at the question of possible applica- tions in the light of the few ones which were already obtained.

Stabilization of a Class of Nonlinear Affine Fractional-Order Systems

Abstract: This paper deals with the asymptotical stabilization of nonlinear affine fractional-order systems. Two static control laws are considered : state and output feedbacks. The asymptotic stability is proven using a proposed generalization of the Bellman-Gronwall lemma.

présence et devenir des médicaments dans les eaux usées urbaines, une analyse bibliographique Occurence and fate of pharmaceutical substances in urban wastewater, a litterature mini-review

Abstract: Depuis quelques annees, la presence de substances pharmaceutiques a ete observee dans les milieux aquatiques y compris dans l’eau potable. Les principales sources de dispersion de ces composes dans l’environnement sont les stations d’epuration des eaux usees (STEP). Une analyse de la litterature publiee sur le sujet est proposee. Ce sont les analgesiques/anti-inflammatoires, les hypocholesterolemiants, les cytostatiques et les beta-bloquants qui presentent les concentrations les plus elevees en entree de station d’epuration. Malgre des rendements d’elimination quelquefois tres eleves, les concentrations de ces groupes de medicaments restent non negligeables dans les effluents de stations. Les antibiotiques forment un des plus importants groupes de medicaments a cause de leur niveau de consommation, de leur frequence de detection dans les milieux aquatiques et de leur action specifique sur les bacteries, notamment celle potentiellement nefaste qu’ils peuvent avoir sur les bacteries mises en œuvre dans les systemes de traitement biologique des eaux residuaires urbaines. Globalement, la charge en antibiotiques est faible dans les eaux usees urbaines mais elle est forte dans les effluents des hopitaux. Les rendements d’elimination sont, quant a eux tres variables, allant de 0 % pour le nitrothiazole a 95 % pour la tetracycline.

Une étude de la dyscalculie á l'âge adulte.

Abstract: Dyskalkulie ist ein Begriff, der eine Schwache bei der Verarbeitung von Zahlen, insbesondere beim Rechnen bezeichnet. Sie kann erworben sein (Personen, die rechnen konnten, aufgrund eines neurologischen Unfalls aber einen Grosteil dieser Fahigkeit verloren haben) oder auf eine Entwicklungsstorung zuruckzufuhren sein (Personen, die auserstande sind, die Grundrechenarten zu erlernen. Letztere kann Kinder wie auch Erwachsene betreffen, wahrend die erworbene Dyskalkulie fast ausschlieslich bei Erwachsenen auftritt. In Frankreich liegen kaum Studien uber die Haufigkeit von Dyskalkulie bei Erwachsenen vor, wohingegen es viele uber deren Auftreten bei Kindern und Jugendlichen gibt. In diesem Artikel soll daher anhand der Erhebung Information und Alltag (IBQ) 2004 der Anteil der Erwachsenen geschatzt werden, die unter Dyskalkulie leiden. Bei dieser Schatzung wird das Kriterium der Rechenschwache mit dem Kriterium der unterschiedlichen Leistungen in Rechnen und Franzosisch bei vergleichbaren Prufaufgaben kombiniert. Wir vermuten eine „Singularitat“ der Rechenschwache, die von einer Schwache in beiden grundlegenden Bereichen zu unterscheiden ist. Allerdings konnen wir nur von „potenziell“ dyskalkulischen Personen sprechen. Die Erhebung IVQ 2004 ermoglicht keinen Vergleich mit anderen Tests, beispielsweise neurologischen. Zudem konnen andere Hypothesen als eine „Dyskalkulie“ aufgestellt werden, etwa die bei der Erhebung herangezogenen, da sich am Ende des Gesprachs bei Vorlage der Rechenaufgaben oftmals Mudigkeit einstellt. Bei unserem Test werden 387 Teilnehmer aus den 10 213 Personen der Stichprobe IVQ 2004 identifiziert, bei denen beide Kriterien zutreffen. Mithin schatzen wir den Anteil der potenziell dyskalkulischen Personen in der franzosischen Bevolkerung auf 2,95 %, wobei 0,55 % unter „schwerer“ Dyskalkulie“ leiden.

Novel compounds, use thereof as medicaments, and method for the preparation thereof

Abstract: The invention relates to novel compounds having the following formula (I) in which: n is an integer from 1 to 12, in particular from 1 to 8, m and m' are, independently of one another, integers from 0 to 8, - q and q' are, independently of one another, integers from 0 to 2, p and p' are, independently of one another, integers from 0 to 4, A and A' are, independently of one another, a CH 2 group, (in the particular case of amidines) an NH group or an NR" group, in which R" is a linear or branched alkyl group containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, - B and B' are, independently of one another, an oxygen atom or a CH 2 group, and R and R' are, independently of one another, a halogen, such as chlorine, bromine, iodine or fluorine atoms, or a linear or branched alkyl group containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, to the use thereof as medicaments and to the method for the preparation thereof.

European Capital Structures: Managerial Insight and Governance Regimes

Abstract: We investigate the determinants of Capital Structure in Europe and we implement a novel approach focusing on the relevance of manager’s knowledge and behaviors for leverage ratios in aggregate. We show that this relevance is moderated by the governance structure of firms. Specifically we show that firms with concentrated-ownership exhibit a negative relation between managerial sentiment and both measures of leverage (market and book leverages) while firms with dispersed ownership exhibit a positive relation to market leverage only (no relation is obtained on medium-range firms). We further show that other dimensions relating to transparency, size & prominence moderate the relationship. Our contribution extends to debates on agency and corporate governance. We emphasize the practical importance between two dominant views of agency: managers vs. shareholders and control-holders vs. minority shareholders. While illustrating this relevance, we suggest that different governance structures, that is, different kinds of agency conflicts, lead to different managers’ behaviors in aggregate and different market valuation of these behaviors. An implication is that a normative assessment of managerial action may depend on the underlying governance regime.

Bibliothèques numériques : la nécessaire médiation

Abstract: Resume Observant que l’expression « bibliotheques numeriques », qui tend a se generaliser, rend mal compte du developpement de systemes dont les principes et les contraintes sont specifiques, les auteurs analysent les dynamiques et les tensions qui accompagnent le deploiement des grands dispositifs de documentation numerique universitaire. Proposant une analyse precise du contexte institutionnel, ideologique et technique des projets en cours, ils mettent en evidence la permanence d’un modele reposant sur une meconnaissance des usages et des besoins de mediation, au benefice d’une attente illusoire de l’efficience unique de la technique. Sur cette base, ils avancent, face a ce determinisme obstine, quelques perspectives pour un travail reel sur une reinvention de la mediation documentaire.

The Ullmann Coupling between2-Chlorobenzoic Acids and Amino Acids; A Valuable Reactionfor Preparing 2-Substituted 1-Acetyl-1H-indol-3-yl Acetates­

Abstract: Substituted 3-acetoxy-1-acetyl-1H-indoles were pre- pared by condensing 2-chlorobenzoic acids with amino acids under Ullmann conditions in good yields, and further cyclodecarboxyla- tion using the Rossing method in moderate to good yields. N,O-Diacetylindoxyls (1-acetyl-1H-indol-3-yl acetates, 3-acetoxy-1-acetyl-1H-indoles) are present as precursors of some aglicons in chromogenic compounds that are very useful in the identification of various microorganisms. 1-3 However, 2-substituted 3-acetoxy-1-acetyl-1H-indoles are rarely found in literature and there are no procedures available that describe the synthesis of these compounds from the corresponding unactivated amino acid and 2- chlorobenzoic acids by the Ullman procedure. Neverthe- less, 2-substituted 3-acetoxy-1-acetyl-1H-indoles have been used as the starting point for the preparation of 2- substituted 1-acetyl-1,2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ones. 4 On the other hand, only one compound, 3-acetoxy-1- acetyl-2-methyl-1H-indole, has been prepared from the corresponding N-acetylated 2-((carboxymethyl)ami- no)benzoic acid, but it was not prepared using the Ullman conditions. 4 In previous work we reported a simple two-step procedure for the preparation of 3-acetoxy-1-acetyl-6-chloro-1H-in- dole from 2,4-dichlorobenzoic acid and an unactivated amino acid in good yield. 5 Encouraged by this result, we decided to carry out the preparation of other substituted 3- acetoxy-1-acetyl-1H-indoles starting from the corre- sponding 2-chlorobenzoic acids. 6 These papers made us think about the possibility of using the same procedure to prepare 2-substituted 3-acetoxy-1-acetyl-1H-indoles 6 from 2-chlorobenzoic acids 1 and 2-substituted amino acids 2 or 5-aminopentanoic acid (3). We started by using the same reaction conditions given in previous papers and using 2-chlorobenzoic acids 1a-d and amino acids 2a-c or 3 to give Ullman compounds, 2-((carboxymethyl)ami- no)benzoic acids 4a-g and 5a-c (Table 1) in very good yields. Subsequent Rossing cyclodecarboxylation of 4a-g allowed us to obtain 2-substituted 3-acetoxy-1-acetyl-1H- indoles 6a-g in moderate to good yields (Table 2).