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Psychological distress and compliance with sanitary measures during the Covid-19 pandemic
No full textBackground This study aims to understand the relationship between the experience of psychological distress and compliance with COVID-19 sanitary measures. We testeed whether this relationship was modified by individuals’ gender and socioeconomic status (i.e., educational level and employment). Methods Data from four European cohort studies (n = 13,635), were analysed using an Individual Participant Data (IPD) meta-analytic approach. Mixed effect models were employed to examine associations between mental health difficulties and compliance with sanitary measures, as well as effect modification by socioeconomic status. Statistical models were stratified by gender. Results We found a statistically significant association between mental health difficulties and increased compliance with sanitary measures in women, while amongst men the statistically significant association observed was opposite. Moreover, there was a statistically significant interaction between participants’ educational level and mental health difficulties amongst men only, indicating especially low compliance levels with COVID-19 sanitary measures amongst individuals with only primary schooling and who reported psychological distress. Conclusion The association between psychological distress and compliance with sanitary measures is complex–positive in women, negative in men. Men experiencing mental health difficulties, especially those with lower educational attainment, exhibit low levels of compliance with sanitary measures. These results suggest that psychological distress and its possible consequences should be considered when designing measures addressing infectious disease spread
First-principles understanding of hole mobility and intrinsic transport mechanisms in Sn(II) oxides
No full textTransparent conducting oxides (TCOs) have attracted considerable attention due to their applications in electronic devices, ranging from solar cells to flat panel displays and touch screens. While n-type TCOs, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) and tin dioxide (SnO2), have been extensively studied and widely adopted, the development of p-type TCOs remains an important challenge due to several factors, including their low carrier mobilities which arise from the flat valence bands of metal oxides. In this work, we employ first-principles calculations to investigate the transport properties of the binary Sn(II) oxide SnO and four promising ternary Sn(II) oxides: TiSnO3, K2Sn2O3 (in both cubic and rhombohedral phases), and Rb2Sn2O3. Our results show that the studied ternary Sn(II) oxides exhibit carrier mobilities comparable to state-of-the-art n-type TCOs, with band gaps ranging between 2 and 3 eV. The computational methodology, which provides an exact treatment of the Boltzmann transport equation, yields excellent agreement with experimental mobility values for SnO, suggesting that experimental measurements for the ternary compounds may also follow closely our predictions. In addition, we highlight the importance of effective masses for carrier lifetimes and the number of scattering channels involved, using a new decoupling approach for the scattering rates. Finally, we reveal that in SnO, high-frequency phonon modes involving oxygen motion dominate electron–phonon interactions, while in ternary compounds, vibrational modes involving the third atomic species are also of crucial importance. These findings could offer new perspectives on mitigating these specific vibrations to reduce electron–phonon scattering and enhance transport properties in oxide semiconductors
Réappropriation narrative de l’expérience migratoire chez Souad Fila : dynamiques de résilience et de transmission.
No full textDans le contexte post-migratoire, cet article examine l’écriture autobiographique en tant que vecteur de construction identitaire, littéraire et sociale. Il analyse comment cette forme narrative permet aux individus de se situer dans les trajectoires migratoires postcoloniales, tout en préservant une mémoire souvent marginalisée dans les récits institutionnels. L’étude porte sur deux récits autobiographiques de Souad Fila, autrice belge issue de l’immigration post-migratoire, dont l’écriture à la première personne, conforme au pacte autobiographique tel que défini par Philippe Lejeune, repose sur une subjectivité affirmée et un ancrage dans l’expérience vécue. En rejetant toute forme de fiction, elle revendique une parole située, en réponse à l’invisibilisation persistante de certaines trajectoires migratoires. À travers une exploration de l’histoire familiale sur plusieurs générations, ses récits mettent en lumière les défis rencontrés par les femmes issues de l’immigration postcoloniale et révèlent les dynamiques de transmission intergénérationnelle qui façonnent les identités contemporaines
Efficient Method of Moments Analysis of Periodic Metasurfaces Combining Spectral and Spatial Domain Approaches
No full textThis paper presents an efficient Method of Moments (MoM) formulation for the analysis of periodic metasurface (MTS) antennas. Whereas the periodic MoM matrix can be computed in spatial or spectral domains, its slowly convergent behavior in both domains directly impacts its computation time. In this work, it is proposed to accelerate the MoM matrix computation time through an appropriate combination of spectral and spatial domain approaches. This will be particularly well suited for the analysis of embedded element patterns of infinite periodic structures as the latter can be obtained using the periodic MoM for each direction of observation. Validation results are shown for two different MTS implementations, with details of the computation times
Developing indicators to assess the viability of small- and medium-scale farms: a case study of market gardening farms at the regional scale
No full textSmall-and medium-scale market gardening plays an important role in transitioning toward a sustainable food system, yet its viability remains underexplored. This study assesses the viability of small- and medium-scale market gardening farms in the Coeur de Condroz region (Belgium) using field data from 17 farms. A set of five indicators; land productivity, labor productivity, gross added value, estimated profit, and a risk index were developed to analyze viability. Results reveal significant variability among farms. Some achieve viability, while others rely on off-farm income. Three distinct farm profiles were identified based on viability indicators; one composed of less performant farms and two of viable farms with different strategies. Key drivers of viability were highlighted to include greenhouse surface, crop diversity, and years since establishment. Additionally, farms integrating complementary on-farm activities exhibited lower risk of cost but lower productivity per hectare. By redefining viability assessment methods and engaging directly with farmers, this research offers valuable insights into the factors shaping small-and medium-scale market gardening farms. Findings indicate that viability cannot be measured through financial indicators alone but must consider broader socio-economic dimensions. Additionally, farmers' perceptions of viability vary, with some incorporating quality of life into their assessment. This study demonstrates that market gardening can be viable through diverse strategies, despite limited public financial support. It offers practical recommendations for research, and also highlights the potential of applying this methodology to cross-regional longitudinal studies, as well as the need to investigate the relationship between perceived and measured viability
Salt stress impacts the photosynthetic activity of Amaranthus cruentus: an -omic and physiological analysis
No full textAmaranthus sp. (amaranths) is a genus of plants in Amaranthaceae family. Several species, like A. cruentus, are minor crops cultivated for either seed production or for their edible leaves. They are renowned for their tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress and their excellent nutritional quality, making them promising crops in challenging environmental conditions. Soil salinity is one of the main abiotic stress constraining crop growth, mostly in (semi-)arid regions. Most of the crops used today are glycophyte (i.e. salt sensitive); finding salt-tolerant cultivars or new species is therefore a priority for sustainable agriculture. Photosynthetic activity of Amaranthus cruentus (red amaranth, a plant with C4-type photosynthesis) was studied in response to a moderate saline stress (75 mM) in controlled conditions. Analysis of photosynthesis parameters, recorded with an infrared gas analyzer coupled with a fluorimeter (IRGA), showed a deleterious effect of salt stress on the light-independent reactions of photosynthesis (net carbon assimilation), but not on the light-dependent reactions (electron transport rate and quantum yield of photosystem II). Transpiration and stomatal conductance were also affected by salt. Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis were also performed on leaves. Differentially expressed genes and differentially accumulated proteins involved in metabolic pathways related to photosynthesis were used to explain photosynthetic activity data. Finally, chlorophylls and carotenoids content in leaves were compared to IRGA and -omics data
Commentaire de la loi du 29 février 2024 en vue d’insérer une mesure de sûreté pour la protection de la société
No full textUnderstanding the impact of sustainability-oriented recommender systems on consumers’ choices
No full textRecommender systems (RS) have long been used by e-commerce platforms to boost revenue. However, RS designed to achieve other goals, such as nudging consumers towards sustainable choices, are emerging. While extant research has covered the effects of traditional systems (TRS) on consumer behaviour, research on the effects of sustainability-oriented systems (SRS) is sparse. Building upon RS and nudging theory, we investigate consumer responses to SRS (versus TRS and no RS) – and the mechanisms leading to their choices – using a 3-condition experiment in an online store simulation. We found that SRS significantly increase the purchase of sustainable products by enhancing awareness of these items and reducing the effort required to find them. Importantly, SRS do not affect the overall purchase volume. However, they amplify perceptions of being overwhelmed by sustainability talk. This research shows practitioners how to encourage sustainable consumption while pursuing business goals
World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED)
No full textThis chapter presents the work of the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), which was instrumental to the diffusion of the concept of Sustainable Development as of the 1980s
Ocular Sarcoidosis as Initial Presentation of the Disease: Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors Associated with Disease Recurrence.
No full textPURPOSE: To review the clinical presentation and diagnostic workup of patients presenting with ocular sarcoidosis as initial manifestation of the disease and identify risk factors for disease recurrence. METHODS: All cases of sarcoidosis followed in our departments of Ophthalmology and Internal Medicine were retrospectively reviewed. Among 177 patients, 50 had ocular sarcoidosis as initial presentation of the disease. Clinical, biological, radiological, and treatment data were collected. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify risk factors for recurrence. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 51 years, with an equal M/F ratio. Bilateral ocular involvement was present in 86% of cases, with granulomatous panuveitis being the most common manifestation (48%). Two-thirds of patients had extraocular symptoms related to the disease, mostly fatigue. The most frequently involved extraocular site was the supradiaphragmatic lymph nodes, identified in 84% of cases. CRP was normal in 68% of patients, while ACE and lysozyme were elevated in 19% and 64% of cases, respectively. Histopathological confirmation was obtained in 68% of patients. Female sex (odds ratio [OR] 6.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.50-40.40, p = 0.021) and granulomatous panuveitis (OR 7.23, 95% CI 1.70-40.99, p = 0.013) were identified as significant risk factors for disease recurrence. CONCLUSION: Ocular sarcoidosis is a common initial presentation of systemic sarcoidosis. Diagnosis should be suspected in the presence of bilateral granulomatous panuveitis. Chest CT scan or 18F-FDG PET/CT is mandatory for systemic workup and biopsy is necessary for definite diagnosis. Female sex and a panuveitis presentation are significantly associated with disease recurrence