French Standards Research Articles

La Haute Autorité de santé (HAS), mise en perspective internationale

The international presence of the HAS constitutes a real strategic issue in the short, medium and long term, particularly in the areas of health technology assessment (HTA) and hospital certification. Its offer of international expertise can constitute a privileged instrument of French influence in areas that are becoming global, whether for the dissemination of French norms and standards and for the influence of our organizational model and our values. Finally, the presence of the HAS in European and international bodies, notably the World Health Organization (WHO), continues to strengthen, particularly in the European and community framework where its involvement is growing. The international and European involvement of the High Authority of Health (HAS) is an asset for the harmonization of health practices, particularly within the European Union. By actively participating in international and European networks, such as EUnetHTA, and by collaborating with the European Commission, HAS contributes to the evaluation of health technologies, the development of quality standards, and the development of common health policies. However, it faces challenges linked to the diversity of national health systems and the harmonization of practices between Member States. Nevertheless, its growing role in cross-border cooperation and sharing of expertise places it as a key player in the structuring of health policies in Europe.

Does the type of cleft have an impact on language results? Validation of the Nasalance test in French

ObjectivesThe nasometer is the most widely used tool for objective assessment of phonation in both research and clinical practice. French standards have been validated in cases of total cleft lip and palate. The objective of this research is to propose a second validation study on velopalatal clefts. The 15 most sensitive and specific items from the initial validation were selected to create a test that is suitable for use in a clinical setting. A secondary objective is to ascertain the impact of cleft type on nasometry. MethodsA total of 39 participants with an isolated or non-isolated velopalatal cleft were recruited for the study. A speech therapist conducted a blinded subjective evaluation of phonation. The nasometric assessment was based on a corpus developed in collaboration with the CNRS Phonetics and Phonology Laboratory. The corpus is composed of items that are phonetically balanced. ResultsThe obtained nasalance threshold values ranged from 11 to 40%. The study corroborated the existence of a voicing effect, whereby the articulation of voiced consonants was associated with a higher nasalance score. This effect, not previously observed in other studies, is specific to French phonetics. Participants with a velopalatal cleft exhibited higher nasalance scores compared to those with a total cleft. ConclusionBy validating the most relevant stimuli, a French Nasalance Test can be established. With a view to harmonising assessment protocols, it would be appropriate to use the items from this test in subjective assessment.

Intellectual Differences Between Boys and Girls, 35 Years of Evolution in France from WISC-R to WISC-V.

The French adaptation of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale of Children, 5th edition (WISC-V) was an opportunity to examine if some common representations of gender differences in intellectual abilities are supported by empirical evidence. The WISC-V standardization sample provided data on a wide range of cognitive tests in a large sample of 6- to 16-year-old children representative of the French population. This sample included 517 boys and 532 girls. The WISC-V data were compared to those of the French standardization samples of three previous versions of the WISC (WISC-R, WISC-III, and WISC-IV). These four standardization samples span a 35-year period. The data analysis of the WISC-V standardization sample and the three previous versions of this intelligence scale showed that the performance gaps on intellectual tests between girls and boys have gradually narrowed over time. Almost no gender differences were observed in the WISC-V standardization sample, not only in IQ but also in key facets of intelligence. Data do not support the stereotype that girls are better at verbal tasks and boys are better at visuospatial tasks. However, some statistically significant differences remain, but the magnitude was generally small with no practical implications. The only important difference is in favor of girls and concerns performance on processing speed tasks that require visual discrimination, attentional control, and writing.

Determinant factors for optimal anaerobic digestion of agro-industrial sardine residues

ABSTRACT In this study, nutritious and abundant waste generated by sardine canneries was used as the main substrate to assess the effect of fundamental parameters in anaerobic digestion. The temperature range studied, between 37°C and 45°C, allowed for a comparison between the performance of the thermophilic and mesophilic processes. The free water content in the substrate also enabled us to compare fermentation in solid-state fermentation (SSF) with its counterpart, liquid-state fermentation (LSF). The study parameters also included the integration of Aspergillus niger (AN) and molasses. The results revealed significant effects of the AN inoculum and thermophilic conditions in improving biogas production. Optimal biotransformation generated a safe digestate that complies with French standards for use as a biofertilizer. Germination tests demonstrated that it has no inhibitory effect on tomato seeds and has the potential to enhance crop yields better than chemical fertilisers.

A Case Study of Ergonomic Risk Assessment in Slovakia with Respect to EU Standard.

Attention on work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) involves statistical surveys showing an increasing trend in the incidence of WMSDs. Technological development has led to new tools and methods for the assessment of physical load at work. These methods are mostly based on the direct sensing of appropriate parameters, which allows more precise quantification. The aim of this paper is to compare several commonly used methods in Slovakia for the assessment of ergonomic risk reflecting current EU and Slovak legislative regulations. A Captiv wireless sensory system was used at a car headlight quality control assembly workplace for sensing, data acquisition and data processing. During the evaluation of postures and movements at work, we discovered differences in the applicable standards: Decree 542/2007 Coll. (Slovak Legislation), the STN EN 1005-4+A1, and the French standards default in the Captiv system. Standards define the thresholds for hazardous postures with significant differences in several evaluated body segments, which affects the final evaluation of the measurements. Our experience from applying improved risk assessment methodology may have an impact on Slovak industrial workplaces. It was confirmed that there is a need to create uniform standards for the ergonomic risk assessment of body posture, including a detailed description of the threshold values for individual body segments.

Folk costumes of Ukrainian Slobozhans as a component of cultural heritage

Clothing in traditional society performed the function of a national, regional and local indicator, a kind of «passport» of a person. Ukrainians of Slobozhanshchyna wore Cossack clothing until the abolition of the Cossack system and Sloboda regiments in 1765, as they did everywhere else in Ukraine. However, at present, there are almost no material objects from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in regional museums of Ukraine. The abolition of Slobid-Ukrainian autonomy and the equating of the Ukrainian gentry and the Cossack nobility with the russian nobility led to fundamental changes in society. The upper classes began to adhere to European fashion, preferring English standards for men’s clothing and French standards for women’s clothing. Ancient forms of clothing, however, were conserved in the rural environment. During the 19th century the complex of clothing of Ukrainian Slobozhan of the peasant class was finally formed. List of basic women’s clothing of the 19th century included a shirt, a sheet, an apron, a belt, a corset, footwear (boots, shoes) and headgear (girls – braids and wreaths with ribbons, women’s caps, winter hats – various types of paid headgear: a scarf, a handkerchief, a shawl). Women’s outerwear was a jupka, girls – a white suite, in winter – kozushankas. In the 20th century to the list were added «Kohty-cotton jackets», which in the Southeast could be called «cuirass». Men’s clothing of the corresponding period consisted of a shirt, trousers, a belt, boots and a headdress (bril, cap, or hat). From the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the traditional authentic folk costume, although gradually replaced by European dress, became a national symbol, which is connected with the revival and strengthening of the national movement for statehood. That is why museum collections (both physical and photographic documents) are so important today, helping to recreate the ancient folk system.

Enhancing Sustainability in Power Electronics through Regulations and Standards: A Literature Review

Considering sustainability in Power Electronics (PE) is a relatively recent topic of interest. However, the existing regulatory and normative frameworks supposed to guide designers and industries in this direction have not been combined in an exhaustive way. This article aims to bridge the gap by conducting a literature review of the regulative and normative constraints for sustainability in PE. This study primarily addresses the framework at the European level, with a focus on French regulations and standards. In this study, a total of 63 relevant documents are collected and analyzed. A framework representing the overview of existing legislation and facultative guidelines for PE ecodesign is established. A collaborative online tool is developed to enable access to the inventory by PE stakeholders. The analysis of the framework outlines the limitations and challenges needing to be addressed, including the absence of constraints on environmental performance, the inadequacy of material efficiency standards for PE products, and the unclear methodology for ecodesign implementation. This work, undertaken at the European level with a detailed examination of the French context, is intended to serve as an inspiring analysis for other countries and for PE designers who are considering the regulatory framework of a European representative country.

Stabilization and Recycling of Sand in Pedestrian Walkways

The production of construction and demolition waste (CDW) in urban areas is growing rapidly. While the storage and disposal of CDW waste is costly, its recovery can help to conserve natural resources. This study investigates the characteristics of recycled sand obtained from the processing of CDW waste and the possibility of its reuse for pedestrian pathways. Physico-chemical and mineralogical characteristics of the recycled sand were investigated for its reuse. The percentage of fine particles in sand (below 0.63 μm) is 2.8%. The grain size of sand fulfills the particle size requirement of French standards. The methylene blue value of sand is 0.05 g/100 g. The GTR classification of recycled sand is D2 which is insensitive to water and suitable for road applications. A mineralogical analysis of soil shows that quartz, albite and microcline are important minerals in recycled sand. XRF analysis shows that CaO and SiO2 are major oxides in the recycled sand. The characterization of sand was followed by a manufacturing of cylindrical specimens of sand to observe the compressive strength. Samples were compacted with dynamic compaction by applying the Proctor normal energy of 600 kN·m/m3. The compressive strength testing of specimens shows that non-stabilized sand samples have compressive strength around 0.1 MPa which is considerably lower for its reuse in pedestrian pathways and road applications. Due to the low bearing capacity of sand, recycled sand was stabilized with the addition of binders such as Rolac (hydraulic binder), ground-granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and ECOSOIL® (slag mixes) with different percentages of the binder ranging from 0 to 7% for the optimization of the binder and for economic efficiency. The compressive strength of sand samples increases with the increasing percentage of the binder. The increase in strength is more important with a higher percentage of binders (5%, 6% and 7%). At a 7% binder addition, specimens with Rolac, GGBS and ECOSOIL binders show the compressive strength of 1.2 MPa, 0.5 MPa and 0.5 MPa. At a 7% Rolac addition, specimens have a compressive strength higher than 1 MPa and meet the strength requirement for soil reuse in the foundation and subbase layers of roads with low traffic. The experimental work shows that recycled sand can replace conventional quarry sand for road applications and pathways with the addition of a local binder, which is an eco-friendly and economical practice.

SkyDive: A Black Cosmopolitan's Story in Sound

This is a part of my story from my time as a freshman and junior in Paris, France. I was deeply involved in the youth community and aimed to explore new dimensions of myself and the city. Through trial and error, I put together a narrative of what it's like to be thrown into a new city without any bearings. Through the music I share, I hope to bring new elements to the experience of a young international student. In my case, I am a Black American in Paris, seeking to discover my identity away from what I know in America. I experienced what racism looks like when it's not systematically targeted at you. I also felt tension as an American, given that my country's president at the time was promoting a narrative that did not align with French standards. Despite this, I met amazing people who allowed me to create music and tell stories in all the cities I've lived in, from Phoenix to Paris to New York City.

Industry 4.0 demonstrator: COMBED

The paper discusses the manufacturing procedures and modes that will be employed in smart factories in the course of the next stage of technology development within the 4th Industrial Revolution. The manufacturing modes integrate the principles of Industry 4.0 (I4.0), presented through specifications by German, French, and Italian standardization committees. At present, the individual aspects of the entire system, which comprises technological means, functions, services, management structures, and requirements on manufacturing components and products in factories of the future, are being standardized. In our research, this I4.0-based mode of production is demonstrated on a virtual testbed. Compared to the costly physical testbeds, whose application is limited physically as well as in terms of funding and time, the virtual approach allows showing the I4.0 manufacturing principles effectively and cheaply. For this purpose, we employ two versions of the COMBED, a virtual testbed; in this context, the principles are exposed as facilitating consistent production management decentralization via standardized Asset Administration Shell (AAS) digital twins in both the individual manufacturing components and the actual product. The paper is complemented with viderecordings that expose the model functions of a smart factory producing simple plastic models of various cars by using robots, automated machines and stores, 3D printers, and other manufacturing components equipped with standardized digital twins (AASs).

Curating Zilia: The Temple du soleil in Graffigny's Lettres d'une Péruvienne

Abstract: Françoise de Graffigny's Lettres d'une Péruvienne repeatedly highlights a collection of Peruvian treasures. Graffigny's description of these objects, both when they are on display in Zilia's private room in a French convent and in the Temple du soleil in her country house at the end of the novel, invokes a vocabulary drawn from eighteenth-century French standards of stylish interior design and private collecting. Social status in eighteenth-century France was performative; demonstrating one's own good taste with the displays in a well-decorated room or a private collection communicated that one belonged to the elite. Graffigny's contemporaries would have recognized that the descriptions of the arrangement of the Peruvian objects affirms Zilia's social value—and also that of her would-be lover, the chevalier de Déterville. Déterville, disinherited so that his older brother could keep the family wealth intact, is not able to easily demonstrate his belonging. However, his curation of the Temple de soleil helps rehabilitate his social status, and, at the same time, further contributes to his control over Zilia. Paying attention to the ways in which the Peruvian objects are displayed in the context of contemporary interior decoration and private collections ultimately destabilizes the dominant feminist interpretation of Zilia's final independence.

Migration in French Guiana: Implications in health and infectious diseases

In French Guiana, more than a third of the population, and nearly half of the adults, are of foreign origin. This immigration is explained by the French standard of living, which is attractive to nationals of surrounding countries. Infectious diseases remain in the top 10 causes of premature death, often in the most precarious populations. In this context we aimed to synthesize the state of the knowledge regarding immigration and infectious diseases in French Guiana and the general implications that follow this diagnosis.For HIV, although the majority of patients are of foreign origin, estimates of the presumed date of infection based on CD4 erosion modelling and from molecular analyses suggest that the majority of transmissions in foreign-born individuals occur in French Guiana and that the Guiana shield has been a crossroad between Latin America and the Caribbean. Among key populations bridging these regions illegal gold miners are very mobile and have the greatest proportion B Caribbean HIV viruses. Gold miners have been a key vulnerable population for falciparum malaria and other tropical diseases such as leishmaniasis, leprosy, or leptospirosis. The complex history of migrations in French Guiana and on the Guiana Shield is also reflected in the fingerprinting of mycobacterium tuberculosis and the high incidence of tuberculosis in French Guiana, notably in immigrants, reflects the incidences in the countries of origin of patients. The high burden of infectious diseases in immigrants in French Guiana is first and foremost a reflection of the precarious living conditions within French Guiana and suggests that community-based proactive interventions are crucial to reduce transmission, morbidity, and mortality from infectious diseases.

Menus from the Lotos Club in New York City

ABSTRACT Several hundred menus from the Lotos Club have been preserved from the period 1870 to the present. They are from so-called “State Dinners” honoring important people. They show in unusual detail and over a considerable period of time the changing tastes in cuisine, from adherence to French haute cuisine standards to the current fashions such as local and seasonal. It is useful to look at the food served at institutions such as clubs because while slow to change (and often proud of their sometimes-odd culinary traditions), they reflect the shifts in American taste focused in a way that restaurants, which serve a more varied clientele, do not.

DMAIC methodology application in bakery for French bread-quality standardization purposes

French bread is one of the food items mostly consumed in Brazil, as well as Brazilian bakeries’ core product. Its growing demand forces bakeries to adopt strategies to speed up the production of Brazilians’ “favorite”, without losing its typical taste and quality. The current study was carried out in a traditional bakery in Araraquara City, São Paulo State. Its aim is to reduce the number of non-conformities in the French bread-production process. The DMAIC cycle was herein adopted as main methodology, although other tools, such as data collection and analysis, brainstorming and Pareto charts, 5W1H and risk mapping, were also used. Results have evidenced that more than 50% of the investigated production was not in compliance due to labor issues, raw material type and the adoption of non-standard processes. Finally, an action plan comprising bakery-intervention proposals was prepared and it evidenced the need of standardizing the used chemical yeast, of training the bakery’s employees and of standardizing the time of each production stage.

Physico-chemical quality of ashes post-incineration and waste from laboratory automaton biochemistry, hematology and serology in Togo

Biochemistry, hematology and serology laboratories produce very heterogeneous discharges capable of polluting water, soil and the environment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the physico-chemical quality of the ashes, effluents and the range of equipment that produce the much effluent and pollutions.This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study of 82 laboratories followed by the sampling of effluents from automatons. The physico-chemical parameters and trace elements are determined according to French Standardization Association (AFNOR) standards and used atomic absorption spectrometers and molecular absorption spectrometers. The Mindray hematology automaton is used for 64.7% and 81.5% of the cans are used to collect waste. Semehow 77.8% of discharges are released into sinks without adequate treatment in 42.6% of cases. Chemical analyses show that trace elements (TE) levels in effluents range from 5.89 ± 0.21 to 105.80 ± 0.96 μg/L for Arsenic; from 5.62 ± 0.34 to 6.53 ± 0.49 μg/L for Cadmium; 0.70 ± 0.01 to 10.63 ± 1.17 μg/L for Mercure and 35.72 ± 1.88 to 61.98 ± 5.15 μg/L for Plomb. pH ranges from 7.17 ± 0.65 to 8.3 ± 1.35 with total dissolved salts (TDS) range from 3260.20 ± 401.68 to 17117.41 ± 265.37 mg/L. All averages of contamination indices (CI) and polymetallic contamination indices (PCI) for post-incineration ashes are greater than 1.5 with the exception of Hg (0.22). For effluents, in addition to polymetallic contamination indices (PCI), CI in hematology effluents (1.09), all CI are less than 1. Hematology effluents have a lower pH and are much more mineralized and concentrated in trace elements while those from biochemistry and serology appear to be similar. However, the effluents of Biochemistry and Serology are more basic and concentrated in Suspended Solids with higher values obtained in Biochemistry. Although the physico-chemical parameters comply with WHO standards, discharges from automatons deserve appropriate treatment before their disposal.

Fabrication of foam concrete by use of novel foam generator — vortex jet apparatus: study of foam concrete properties

A new method of foam concrete production by use of vortex jet apparatus (VJA) is studied. The foam produced by VJA exhibits high stability and narrow size distribution of the bubbles’ diameter and the latter correlates well with diameters of foam concrete pores. VJA is a compact device allowing to generate foam without compressor, inhausting the air from the ambience resulting from vacuum in the center of vortex flow. Owing to additional opportunities (compared e.g. with usual axial ejector) like ability to suck the air, longer residence time and higher kinetic energy transformed further into dispersion of the bubbles new device lets to control the parameters of the foam and the density of the foam concrete, thus allowing to create foam with smaller diameter of the bubbles and higher stability. A mechanism of large pores isolation during water absorption tests was proposed. Main properties of foam concrete produced in this study: real and apparent densities, open and total porosities, thermal conductivity and thermal capacity, water absorption, compressive and flexural strengths have been measured; their values fully meet the requirements of Russian and French standards. The main part of pores was attributed to the open porosity because of very close values of total and open porosities. Equations characterizing relative mass of water absorbed by the foam concrete and the fraction of open porosity filled with the water were found as functions of apparent density. It was found that foam concrete production with wide range of densities (from approx. 480 till 1640 kg/m3) is easily attainable by means of VJA. Hence, the VJA could be used as an effective tool for foam generation and foam concrete production.

Assessment of calcium hypochlorite for Bacillus anthracis spore surface's decontamination

Contamination with microorganisms occurs in laboratories but is also of high concern in the context of bioterrorism. Decontamination is a cornerstone that promotes good laboratory practices and occupational health and safety. Among the most resistant structures formed by microorganisms are spores, produced notably by Clostridium and Bacillus species. Here, we compared six products containing four different molecules (hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, sodium and calcium hypochlorite) on B. anthracis Sterne spores. We first selected the most efficient product based on its activity against spore suspensions using French and European standards. Four products showed sporicidal activity, of which only two did so in a time frame consistent with good laboratory practices. Then, we tested one of these two products under laboratory conditions on fully virulent B. anthracis spores, during common use and after contamination through a spill of a highly concentrated spore suspension. We, thus, robustly validated a decontaminant based on calcium hypochlorite not only on its ability to kill spores but also on its effectiveness under laboratory conditions. At the end, we were able to assure a complete disinfection in 1 min after spillover and in 2 min for common use.

Comparative study of seed roasting effects on Sesamum radiatum Schumach. & Thonn and Sesamum indicum L. oils quality

Several species of sesame have been extensively studied but little is known about Sesamum radiatum (SR). In this work, seeds roasting impact on two Sesamum spp, SR and S. indicum (SI) oils quality was studied. Physicochemical parameters (PP), fatty acids profile (FAL) and antioxidant activities were evaluated using spectrophotometry methods and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Unroasted seeds (US) of SR oil extraction showed a yield of 40.26 ± 0.86% while roasted seeds (RS) at different temperatures (145-200°C) demonstrated a yield of 40.11 ± 1.36%. Evaluation of PP of oils according to the French Standardization Association (AFNOR) standards showed the following results: refractive index: 1.47435-1.47665 for SR and 1.46660-1.47065 for SI; acid number: 2.01-3.35 for RS against 10.04±0.53 mg KOH/g for US; saponification number: 186.82-191.53 for SR and 189.74-190.42 mg KOH/g for SI. Iodine value: 100.31-127.74 for SR against 117.96-128.04 g I2/100 g for SI; peroxide value: 1.19-4.00 for SR against 1.66-2.58 meq/Kg active O2 for SI. FAL was slightly modified during roasting showing that SR oil is an oleic-linoleic oil. More, SR oil demonstrated twice antioxidant activity than SI. These results demonstrated that roasting has positive effects on SR oil nutritional quality. SR oil could be recommended in food after toxicity studies.

Mathematical Analysis of the Impact of French Standardization Strategy and Electric Vehicle Development on the Breakthrough Development of EVs in China

The problems of operating range and costs are the two most critical bottlenecks restricting the extensive application of electric vehicles (EVs) in China and some other countries. There are also some prominent problems in China’s EVs, which lead to poor competitiveness of EVs compared with traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. This paper analyzes the key mathematical factors restricting the development and popularization of EVs in China from the aspects of strategic policy, sales situation, and self‐problems. For the best‐selling family cars in China, select the representative models with the same body structure, and make statistics on various parameters most concerned by consumers, establish a database through data statistics and analysis software. Through summarizing France’s standardization development strategy and relevant issues reflected by the development data of its EVs, this paper puts forward the hypothesis leading the development of EVs through standardization to enhance their competitiveness, gives the specific suggestions, and briefly analyzes the feasibility from the aspects of product situation. The research content of this paper provides a certain basis and ideas for the future research work.

Physicochemical characterization of two agricultural wastes for the formulation of animal feeds

Waste management is a major problem to which the agricultural and food industries must find solutions. The latter use pineapple in most of the processes for the manufacture of fruit juices. These processes result in tons of waste that are often abandoned on dumps near the processing plants, polluting the water table and the quality of surface water after drainage by rainwater. Our study therefore proposed to find an efficient solution to this problem by valorizing agro-industrial pineapple waste in animal feed. Thus, the physicochemical parameters of pineapple peelings and soybean cakes were determined following protocols of French standards. From the results obtained, it appears that pineapple peelings are rich in fermentable sugars, especially cellulose, a source of energy (34% DM) but poor in total nitrogenous matter (6.86%). As feed is a source of protein, soybean meal was added to pineapple peels for enrichment in total nitrogenous matter. The characterized soybean meal showed that it contains 33.46% of total nitrogenous matter. A more complete characterization of the formulated feeds will have to be carried out for their better use in animal feed.