This paper presents the results of an experimental study of the miscibility gap between trioctahedral and dioctahedral micas in the system K2O Li2O-MgO-FeO-Al2O3-SiO2-H2O-HF at 600°C under 2 kbar PH2O. The existence of this miscibility gap is known from previous experimental studies. The gap is large in the lithium-free system; its width reduces progressively with increasing Li content; for sufficient Li contents (Li > 0.6 atom per formula unit, based on 11 oxygens), a single Li-mica phase is obtained, intermediate between trioctahedral and dioctahedral micas. Any bulk composition located inside the miscibility gap gives an assemblage of two micas, one of the biotite-type and one of the muscovite-type. All the compositions located outside the gap, and, in particular, those belonging to the joins phlogopite-trilithionite and muscovite-zinnwaldite (or its magnesian equivalent) give a single mica phase, provided that the fluorine content is sufficient. The ratio Li/F ≈ 1 is a convenient suitable value. The types of micas and the evolutions of their compositions are well characterized by their interplanar distance d060. These experimental results allow the interpretation of most compositions of naturally occurring lithium micas, in the range 0 ⩽ Li ⩽ 1 a./f.u. Natural micas of biotite-type and muscovite-type are located on both sides of the miscibility gap and their compositions get closer with increasing Li content.

This paper presents the results of an experimental study of muscovite solid solutions in the system K2O-M2+O-Al2O3-SiO2-H2O-(HF), with M2+ = Mg2+ or Fe2+ in the temperature range 300-700°C under 2 kbar PH2O. Muscovite solid solutions can be described, in this system, as the result of two substitutions. One is the phengitic substitution (x), which preserves the pure dioctahedral character of the mica; the second is the biotitic substitution (y), which leads to trioctahedral micas and does not change the composition of the tetrahedral layer Si3Al. The general formula of muscovite in this system is K(Al2−x−2y∕3M2+x+y□1−y∕3)(Si3+xAl1−x)O10(OH,F)2. Both substitutions x and y are more extensive at lower temperatures. The extent of solid solution decreases drastically with increasing temperature.

For T > 600°C, the phengitic substitution (x) becomes negligible, but some biotitic substitution (y) persists. This unsymmetrical decrease of the solid solution of muscovite with increasing temperature is similar to that previously observed in phlogopite, the micas with a tetrahedral layer composition of Si3Al being the most stable. The behaviour of muscovite solid solutions in the ferrous system is qualitatively identical to that observed in the magnesian one, but the extent of solid solution is smaller than with Mg2+. Fluorine neither changes the size nor the shape of the solid solution fields but increases their stability by about 50°C.

A comparison of these experimental results with data on natural muscovites is presented. Most natural primary (magmatic) granitic muscovites lie very close to the muscovite end member, in agreement with their high-temperature origin. Low-temperature muscovites (300–400°C), typically muscovites from hydrothermally altered granitic rocks, can have high x and y values. The rate of the biotitic substitution y can reach 0.6, which corresponds to an octahedral occupancy of 2.2 atoms per formula unit (based on 11 oxygens), consistent with the experimental data.

Ba-rich and Si-rich phlogopites occur in the talc-bearing rocks of the La Creuse sulfide ore deposit in Beaujolais, France. They form a group of compositions completely separated from the common Al-rich phlogopites that occur in the surrounding talc-free metasiltites and metarhyolites, with higher Ba and Mg and lower Al contents. The Ba-rich phlogopites have a relatively narrow compositional range (0.24 to 0.80 Ba per formula unit, for 44 valencies) with high and constant Si (5.8 atoms per formula unit, apfu) and Mg + Fe (5.6 apfu), probably buffered by the presence of talc. Compared to low-Al phlogopites from talc-free rocks, the excess charge introduced by the BaK–1 substitution is compensated by interlayer vacancies. Such a high level of interlayer vacancy (0.56 pfu), related to the talc-producing metasomatic conditions, is essential for the stability of this special group of Ba-rich and Si-rich phlogopites.

Single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses were performed. Ba-rich and Si-rich phlogopite is monoclinic, space group C2/m, (R = 5.31%) with a = 5.3185(5), b = 9.2136(9), c = 10.1349(11) Å and β = 100.131(11)°. The occupancies of Mg/Fe and K/Ba were refined exploring different vacancies. The solutions giving the best R factor (4.77%) and goodness-of-fit (1.06) are obtained with 15% < vacancy < 40% at the interlayer site.

Indexed X-ray powder diffraction data derived from Rietveld crystal structure refinements are reported for synthetic potassium-richterite (KRC: K[CaNa]Mg5Si8O22(OH)2), nickel-potassium-richterite (NIKRC:K[CaNa] Ni5Si8O22(OH2) and cobalt-potassium-richterite (COKRC:K[CaNa]Co5Si8O22 (OH2). The following dimensions were obtained: KRC: a = 10.0547(8), b = 17.997(1), c = 5.2746(4)Å, β = 104.832(5)°; NIKRC: a = 10.0297(7), b = 17.942(1), c = 5.2576(4)Å, β = 104.982(5)°; COKRC: a = 10.1166(9), b = 18.066(1), c = 5.2752 (4)Å, β= 104.846(6)°.

Investigation of Lake Allos sediments revealed ~ 160 graded layers, interpreted as flood deposits, over the last 1400 yr. Comparisons with records of historic floods support the interpretation of flood deposits and suggest that most recorded flood events are the result of intense meso-scale precipitation events. As there is no evidence for any major changes in erosion processes in the catchment since the Medieval Warm Period (MWP), we interpret the Allos record in terms of repeated intense precipitation events over the last millennium, with a low flood frequency during the MWP and more frequent and more intense events during the Little Ice Age. This interpretation is consistent with the pattern of increasingly humid conditions in the northwestern Mediterranean region. This long-term trend is superimposed on high frequency oscillations that correlate with solar activity and autumnal North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Finally, a comparison of flood records across the northwestern Mediterranean region showed that intense precipitation events in Allos (east of the Rhône Valley) were out of phase with events in the Cévennes (west of the Rhône) but in phase with events in eastern Spain. Supported by meteorological analyses, this suggests an oscillation in atmospheric circulation patterns over the northwestern Mediterranean.

There is substantial evidence to link what we eat to the reduction of the risk of major chronic diseases and/or the improvement of functions. Thus, it is important for public health agencies and the food industry to facilitate the consumption of foods with particular health benefits by providing consumer products and messages based on scientific evidence. Although fragmentary advice is available from a range of sources, there is a lack of comprehensive scientific guidelines for the design, conduct and reporting of human intervention studies to evaluate the health benefits of foods. Such guidelines are needed both to support nutrition science in general, and to facilitate the substantiation of health claims. In the present study, which presents the consensus view of an International Life Sciences Institute Europe Expert Group that included senior scientists from academia and industry, the term ‘foods’ refers to foods, dietary supplements and food constituents, but not to whole diets. The present study is based on an initial survey of published papers, which identified the range and strengths and weaknesses of current methodologies, and was finalised following exchanges between representatives from industry, academia and regulatory bodies. The major factors involved in the design, conduct and reporting of studies are identified, summarised in a checklist table that is based on the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guidelines, and elaborated and discussed in the text.

Introduction. L’objectif de notre étude a été de recenser les différentes espèces de Tephritidae présentes sur arbres fruitiers dans trois régions climatiques différentes de Côte d’Ivoire et d’identifier quelques plantes hôtes auxquelles elles sont associées. Matériel et méthodes. Un dispositif de pièges utilisant différentes phéromones a été mis en place dans les régions agro écologiques du sud (Azaguié, Abidjan) et du centre (Yamoussoukro) de la Côte d’Ivoire entre juin 2005 et septembre 2006. En complément, une collecte de fruits a été effectuée dans ces mêmes régions ainsi qu’au nord du pays (Korhogo). La fluctuation de la population de Bactrocera invadens a été suivie à partir de relevés hebdomadaires des pièges. Les mouches émergées des fruits collectés ont été identifiées et comptées. Résultats et discussion. Au total, 23 espèces de mouches des fruits ont été identifiées dont huit espèces particulières à Azaguié, une espèce à Abidjan et une espèce à Yamoussoukro. Les espèces B. invadens et D. mediovittatus ont été identifiées pour la première fois en Côte d’Ivoire. L’espèce B. invadens s’est révélée majoritaire sur les stations du sud et du centre de la Côte d’Ivoire. Elle est représentée à 85 % à Azaguié, à 99,90 % à Abidjan et à 95,40 % à Yamoussoukro. Le méthyl eugénol et le dorsalure ont été les plus efficaces pour capturer un grand nombre d’individus. Les genres Ceratitis et Dacus, bien que présentant une diversité spécifique, sont faiblement représentés sur les sites expérimentaux étudiés. Selon les zones agro écologiques et la période de fructification des manguiers en Côte d’Ivoire, les populations de B. invadens présentent différents pics de croissance. Conclusion. Des études complémentaires sur la biologie et le comportement de ce ravageur s’avéreront nécessaires pour l’application des méthodes de lutte optimale en vergers en Afrique de l’Ouest et, plus particulièrement, en Côte d’Ivoire.

L'anisotropie des tôles d'aluminium est induite par le procédé de laminage, elle entraîne des défauts lors de l'opération de mise en forme de pièces par emboutissage. Le travail présenté dans cet article est une étude phénoménologique de cette anisotropie sur des tôles d'aluminium produites à SOCATRAL, au Cameroun. L'objectif est de mettre en évidence l'influence des différents paramètres en vue de mieux contrôler l'évolution de l'anisotropie. Au cours du laminage de l'aluminium, tous les paramètres susceptibles d'avoir une incidence sur la répartition des constituants insolubles dans le métal et sur la déformation des grains du métal ont un effet considérable sur l'anisotropie. Deux nuances d'aluminium (1200 et 1050) ont fait l'objet de cette étude pour laquelle tous les paramètres sont étudiés en utilisant une méthode statistique (SPC) à partir des banques de données de fabrication. Pour chaque paramètre identifié, les courbes de l'évolution de l'anisotropie sont présentées pour différentes épaisseurs de tôle. Les résultats obtenus permettront par la suite d'optimiser l'indice d'anisotropie afin de réduire les défauts à l'emboutissage.

When the laboratory methods employed are qualitative, the statistical methodologies used in testing for the adventitious presence (AP) of transgenic material in conventional seed and grain lots are well defined. However, when the response from the method used by the laboratory is quantitative (e.g. percent transgenic DNA), the statistical methodologies developed for qualitative laboratory methods are not fully appropriate. In this paper, we present the details of procedures specific to quantitative laboratory methods. In particular we consider: (1) the assessment of quantitative laboratory method errors using linear modelling; and (2) the process of deciding whether or not a lot meets pre-specified purity standards, including the development of probability calculations needed to develop operating characteristic curves and estimate consumer and producer risks for a given lower quality limit (LQL), acceptable quality limit (AQL) and testing plan. We also describe implementation of this approach in a useful spreadsheet application.

To weight the importance of a nanocavity buffer in a SiGe deposition substrate, some P type (001) FZ Si wafers are implanted (A samples) or not (B samples) at room temperature with 5×1016 He+ cm–2 at 10keV. They are annealed at 700°C for one hour to form a nanocavity layer close to the Si surface. Then, the wafers are carefully chemically cleaned in a clean room to remove both organic and metallic impurities from the surface. They are coated either by 210 nm (A) or 430 nm (B) Si1−xGex (x=0.20±0.02) alloy grown at 575°C for 0.42 hour by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LP-CVD) with a growth rate of 8 to 17 nm.mn−1. Both kinds of samples are studied by cross section transmission electron microscopy, X-rays diffraction, Rutherford backscattering, atomic force microscopy and etch pit counts. The association of these techniques demonstrates that the thin SiGe layer which is deposited on sample A is fully relaxed and that the threading dislocation density (estimated to hardly reach 4×103cm−2) is at least one order of magnitude lower than what is obtained so far using ion implantation assistance in SiGe layer growth on Silicon. The roughness of the SiGe surface is low enough to stand a further Si epitaxy. Nevertheless, the mechanism involved responsible for the threading dislocation annihilation and/or confinement is still unclear.

Using the 35 speckle measurements performed with PISCO in Merate between 2004 and 2006, and some complementary new astrometric measures, we present a new orbit for the visual binary ADS 8630 = γ Vir. This new series of measurements was essential for constraining the 169 year-period orbit since it covers an arc of 130° in the apparent orbit and includes the periastron passage of 2005.

High-angular resolution observations were acquired for a sample of F-G and K nearby orbital binaries, making use of the ADONIS instrument mounted at the 3.6m ESO telescope from La Silla observatory. The aim is to derive broad-band near-infrared colours for the individual components of those binaries which do not fit well the mean mass-luminosity relation, but which have accurate parallaxes (from the Hipparcos satellite) and high-quality orbits, thanks to many previous efforts. Such colour determinations allow component temperatures and photometric mass ratios to be derived.

The structural and dynamical properties of C60 chains inserted inside Single Walled carbon Nanotubes (SWNT) have been investigated by x-ray and neutron diffraction, and inelastic neutron scattering (INS). The measurements have been performed on a large mass of a very high quality carbon peapods sample. We showed that powder diffraction could hardly give definitive response on the way the C60s are bonded inside SWNT. However, the comparison of the neutron-derived generalized density of states (GDOS) of the inserted C60 peas with the GDOS of the same objects derived from lattice dynamics calculations led to unambiguous results. The observation of excitations in the 8–15 meV range is a clear evidence for the presence strong bonds between C60s in the sample. In the same time, the observation of a very weak quasi-elastic signal may be related to rotational motions of C60 monomers inside the SWNT. These results suggest that peapods are made of a mixed phase of C60 monomers and C60 n-mers.