[en] Three phases of starvation have been described from changes in protein and lipid utilization in birds and mammals. In the present study, tissue glucose utilization was measured in vivo during these three phases, using a 2-deoxy-[1-3H]glucose technique in the anesthetized rat. According to this technique, the term glucose utilization therefore refers to transport and phosphorylation of glucose in tissues, ie, whatever is the fate of glucose. Whole-body glucose turnover rate, which was determined by a continuous infusion of [3-3H]glucose, decreased by 40% during the first two days of starvation (phase 1); it did not change thereafter, neither in the protein-sparing phase 2 nor in phase 3, which is marked by an increase in net protein breakdown. Two days of starvation caused a marked decrease in the glucose utilization in skeletal muscles; this decrease was higher in oxidative muscles (65% in diaphragm, 66% in soleus) than in glycolytic muscles (31% in extensor digitorum longus, 34% in epitrochlearis). Glucose utilization also decreased in heart atria (75%), heart ventricles (93%), and white adipose tissue (54%); by contrast, there was a two-fold increase in glucose utilization in brown adipose tissue and no change in brain and skin. No variations were observed in glucose utilization in any of the tissues from phase 1 to phase 2. However, phase 3 was marked by a decrease in glucose utilization in extensor digitorum longus (45%), brown adipose tissue (76%), brain (29%), and skin (40%), whereas there was a 2.3- and 3.4-fold increase in glucose utilization in diaphragm and heart ventricles, respectively

[en] The first contributions of this collective report are presenting the French first generation agro-fuel industry, its production, its usages, and its public incentives. Then, several authors comment the impacts of these first-generation agro-fuels on the environment: debate on the contribution of the nitrogen monoxide to the greenhouse gas emission assessment, question of the compatibility of the foreseen agro-fuel development with the French commitment of stopping the biodiversity erosion by 2010, contributions of engineering and chemical sciences to the assessment of agro-fuel environmental impact, methodology of assessment of energy, greenhouse emissions, and atmospheric pollutants related to first-generation agro-fuels. Land use by agro-fuels in France by 2015 is the next topic (impacts on agricultural land, relationship between breeding and agro-fuels). Some authors describe the global context: possible global interactions between agro-fuels and environment, sustainable certification of agro-fuels, analysis of the reasons for a world food crisis. The last contributions are dealing with second-generation agro-fuels: state of the art and perspectives, role in sustainable energy development

[en] This document gathers the transparencies of the available presentations given at this colloquium on the impacts of climate change on economy, society, ecosystems and public health: 1 - images of climate changes in France in the 21. century according to CNRM and IPSL scenarios (M. Deque); 2 - climatic risks and public policy (P. Ambrosi); 3 - climatic policy and carbon sequestration by forests and agricultural practices (D. Arrouays); 4 - towards new inventories of net greenhouse gas (direct or indirect) and aerosol emissions (P. Ciais); 5 - impact on hydro-systems (P. Chevallier); 6 - impacts on health (J.P. Lacaux); 6 - climate and health (Y. Le Maho); 7 - synthesis of the colloquium (J.C. Andre). (J.S.)

[en] The Earth has to face more and more devastating extreme events. Between 1970 and 2009, at the worldwide scale, the 25 most costly catastrophes all took place after 1987, and for more than half of them after 2001. Among these 25 catastrophes, 23 were linked to climate conditions. France was not spared: the December 1999 storms led to 88 deaths, deprived 3.5 million households of electricity and costed more than 9 billion euros. The 2003 heat wave led to about 15000 supernumerary deaths between August 1 and August 20. The recent Xynthia storm, with its flood barrier ruptures, provoked 53 deaths in addition to many other tragedies that took place in areas liable to flooding. In the present day context of climate change, we know that we must be prepared to even more dangerous events, sometimes unexpected before. These events can have amplified effects because of the urban development, the overpopulation of coastal areas and the anthropization of natural environments. They represent real 'poverty traps' for the poorest countries of the Earth. The anticipation need is real but is our country ready to answer it? Does it have a sufficient contribution to international actions aiming at reducing risks? Is his scientific information suitable? France is not less vulnerable than other countries. It must reinforce its prevention, its response and resilience capacities in the framework of integrated policies of catastrophes risk management as well as in the framework of climate change adaptation plans. This reinforcement supposes the development of vigilance systems with a better risk coverage and benefiting by the advances gained in the meteorology and health domains. It supposes a town and country planning allowing to improve the viability of ecological and social systems - in particular by protecting their diversity. Finally, this reinforcement requires inciting financial coverage solutions for catastrophes prevention and for their management once they have taken place. A permanent education effort is necessary both for the public and for the new generations. This requires excellence federating research programs based on quality data, on climatic and hydrologic models validation, and on the integration in these models of the knowledge gained from biological, human and social sciences. Investing in such programs has become a necessity. (J.S.)