University of Lorraine

About: University of Lorraine is a education organization based out in Nancy, France. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 11942 authors who have published 25010 publications receiving 425227 citations. The organization is also known as: Lorraine University.

Agromining: farming for metals in the future?

Abstract: Phytomining technology employs hyperaccumulator plants to take up metal in harvestable plant biomass. Harvesting, drying and incineration of the biomass generates a high-grade bio-ore. We propose that ``agromining'' (a variant of phytomining) could provide local communities with an alternative type of agriculture on degraded lands; farming not for food crops, but for metals such as nickel (Ni). However, two decades after its inception and numerous successful experiments, commercial phytomining has not yet become a reality. To build the case for the minerals industry, a large-scale demonstration is needed to identify operational risks and provide ``real-life'' evidence for profitability.

Short-term effects of biochar on soil heavy metal mobility are controlled by intra-particle diffusion and soil pH increase

Abstract: Summary Biochar, the solid product of biomass pyrolysis, can be used as a soil amendment to stabilize metals in contaminated soils. The effects of biochar on the mobility of metals in soils are, however, poorly understood. To identify the predominant processes, we focused on (i) a possible kinetic limitation by transport in biochar particles, (ii) the evolution of biochar mineral phases and (iii) the effect of biochar on soil pH. Batch experiments were conducted to measure the sorption kinetics of copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) and the sorption-desorption isotherms for lead (Pb), Cu, Cd, zinc (Zn) and Ni in a wood-derived biochar. Sorption data were then compared with extraction test results using biochar with one acidic and one basic soil contaminated by Zn, Cd and Pb. Kinetic results showed that biochar particle sizes controlled metal sorption rate despite a similar specific surface area, which indicated a limitation by intra-particle diffusion. Isotherms showed a partially reversible sorption to biochar following the order Pb > Cu > Cd ≥ Zn > Ni, which we explained primarily by the (co)precipitation of metals or their adsorption on specific biochar mineral phases. Effective metal immobilization was observed with biochar in both contaminated soils but could not be predicted from the sorption isotherms. This immobilization appeared to be governed by the soil pH increase, which induced a greater retention of metals on soil particles. Short-term effects of biochar on contaminated soils may therefore be controlled by diffusion in biochar particles and by soil alkalinization processes.

A randomized controlled study of finerenone vs. eplerenone in patients with worsening chronic heart failure and diabetes mellitus and/or chronic kidney disease

Abstract: Aims To evaluate oral doses of the non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist finerenone given for 90 days in patients with worsening heart failure and reduced ejection fraction and chronic kidney disease and/or diabetes mellitus. Methods and results Miner Alocorticoid Receptor antagonist Tolerability Study-Heart Failure (ARTS-HF) was a randomized, double-blind, phase 2b multicentre study (ClinicalTrials.gov: [NCT01807221][1]). Of 1286 screened patients, 1066 were randomized. Patients received oral, once-daily finerenone (2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, or 15 mg, uptitrated to 5, 10, 15, 20, or 20 mg, respectively, on Day 30) or eplerenone (25 mg every other day, increased to 25 mg once daily on Day 30, and to 50 mg once daily on Day 60) for 90 days. The primary endpoint was the percentage of individuals with a decrease of >30% in plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) from baseline to Day 90. A key exploratory endpoint was a composite clinical endpoint of death from any cause, cardiovascular hospitalizations, or emergency presentation for worsening HF until Day 90. Mean age ranged from 69.2 to 72.5 years in different treatment groups (standard deviation 9.7–10.6 years). Decreases in NT-proBNP of >30% from baseline occurred in 37.2% of patients in the eplerenone group and 30.9, 32.5, 37.3, 38.8, and 34.2% in the 2.5→5, 5→10, 7.5→15, 10→20, and 15→20 mg finerenone groups, respectively ( P = 0.42–0.88). Except for the 2.5→5 mg finerenone group, the composite clinical endpoint occurred numerically less frequently in finerenone-treated patients compared with eplerenone; this difference reached nominal statistical significance in the 10→20 mg group (hazard ratio 0.56, 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.35; 0.90; nominal P = 0.02), despite the fact that this phase 2 study was not designed to detect statistical significant differences. A potassium level increase to ≥5.6 mmol/L at any time point occurred in 4.3% of patients, with a balanced distribution among all treatment groups. Conclusion Finerenone was well tolerated and induced a 30% or greater decrease in NT-proBNP levels in a similar proportion of patients to eplerenone. The finding of reduced clinical events in the finerenone 10→20 mg group should be further explored in a large outcomes trial. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV&access_num=NCT01807221&atom=%2Fehj%2F37%2F27%2F2105.atom

Ensuring mental health care during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in France: A narrative review.

Abstract: Resume Objectif L’absence de preparation du systeme de soins psychiatriques a l’epidemie de virus SARS-CoV-2 fait redouter fait redouter un scenario pessimiste pour la sante physique et mentale des patients suivis en psychiatrie. L’objectif de cet article est de proposer des elements de guidance pour reorganiser les soins psychiatriques dans le contexte de pandemie Covid-19. Methode Les auteurs ont realise une synthese de la litterature internationale combinee au partage des experiences locales francaises. Resultats Les patients souffrant de troubles psychiques semblent particulierement vulnerables a ce virus et a la pandemie : vulnerabilites liees aux comorbidites medicales, a l’âge, aux troubles cognitifs qui peuvent entraver le respect des consignes de confinement et aux complications psychosociales. Plusieurs initiatives ont ete prises pour assurer la continuite des soins et contenir l’epidemie : creation en psychiatrie d’unite Covid+ co-supervisee par des medecins generalistes ou internistes, restriction des consultations aux cas severes et redeploiement des soins en teleconsultation, accompagnement de type case-management pour les sorties precoces ou l’impossibilite d’hospitaliser, accompagnements specifiques pour les complications psychiques du confinement. Les populations suivies en pedopsychiatrie, en psychiatrie du sujet âge, en addictologie ou detenues en prison doivent beneficier d’une attention particuliere. Plusieurs questions restent en suspend : la question de l’interaction negative ou positive des traitements sur l’infection SARS-CoV-2, l’epidemiologie de l’infection chez les personnes souffrant de troubles psychiques, leur adaptation a un confinement long. Discussion Une prise de conscience par les decideurs politiques de la grande vulnerabilite de ces populations et des institutions psychiatriques dans cette situation de catastrophe sanitaire est urgente.

Molecular Nitrogen in Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko Indicates a Low Formation Temperature

Abstract: Molecular nitrogen (N2) is thought to have been the most abundant form of nitrogen in the protosolar nebula. It is the main N-bearing molecule in the atmospheres of Pluto and Triton and probably the main nitrogen reservoir from which the giant planets formed. Yet in comets, often considered the most primitive bodies in the solar system, N2 has not been detected. Here we report the direct in situ measurement of N2 in the Jupiter family comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, made by the Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis mass spectrometer aboard the Rosetta spacecraft. A N2/CO ratio of (5.70 +− 0.66) × 10−3 (2s standard deviation of the sampled mean) corresponds to depletion by a factor of ~25.4 +− 8.9 as compared to the protosolar value. This depletion suggests that cometary grains formed at low-temperature conditions below ~30 kelvin.