University of Poitiers

In March2025 the French Minister of Justice announced that, beginning at the end of July2025, the prisons of Vendin-le-Vieil and Condé-sur-Sarthe would host approximately 200individuals convicted of drug trafficking within newly established units specifically designed to address organized crime. Incarceration conditions in these high-security facilities will be extremely strict, with the explicit goal of severing incarcerated people's contact with the outside world. The detrimental effects of solitary confinement on incarcerated people's health are well-documented, and numerous international conventions and treaties stipulate that such measures should be used only in exceptional circumstances, as a last resort, and for the shortest time possible. This article examines the role of healthcare professionals within these high-security units. To what extent can the principle of equivalence of care -according to which incarcerated individuals must receive healthcare equivalent to that provided to the general population- be upheld in this context? We address the issue of the ethical responsibility of healthcare professionals working in facilities where conditions of incarceration are known to have deleterious effects on the health of incarcerated individuals.

International audience

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) inherently yields intrinsic, undoped semiconducting films, necessitating the incorporation of controlled impurity levels to convert them into extrinsic semiconductors. While several in-situ doping strategies—such as delta doping during the ALD process—have been explored, post-deposition doping via ion implantation offers superior control over both dose and doping profile. This study examines the effects of Chromium (Cr⁺) ion implantation at 180 keV on the properties of lead chalcogenide (PbTe) thin films, with the goal of enhancing their thermoelectric figure of merit. A fluence of 5 × 10¹⁵ ions/cm² was employed to achieve an estimated Cr doping concentration of 1%. SRIM (Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter) simulations were used to optimize the implantation energy to align the dopant distribution peak with the ALD film thickness.PbTe thin films were synthesized via ALD on silicon substrates with native oxide layers, using lead(II) bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato) (Pb(C₁₁H₁₉O₂)₂) and (trimethylsilyl) telluride ((Me₃Si)₂Te) as the precursors for lead and tellurium, respectively. Nitrogen served as both the carrier and purge gas. Prior to deposition, substrate surfaces were functionalized to ensure consistent chemisorption of the ALD precursors. The ALD process was conducted over a temperature range of 130°C to 170°C, with precursor delivery temperatures of 170°C for lead and 45°C for tellurium. The deposition chamber was maintained at a base pressure of 500 mTorr.Comprehensive characterization of the PbTe films was carried out before and after ion implantation. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) were used to evaluate film morphology and composition X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of polycrystalline films with simple cubic structure. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) provided detailed information on surface topology, including RMS roughness, grain height, and average grain size. Electrical properties were assessed through temperature-dependent resistivity (ρ(T)), electrical conductivity, Hall mobility, and Seebeck coefficient measurements to evaluate the effects of Cr ion implantation on the thermoelectric performance of the PbTe films.

This qualitative study examines the implementation of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in French and Peruvian primary schools, considering teachers’ information practices. Data collection involved individual teacher interviews (21), classroom observations (20), and student group interviews (21) in both countries. Despite contrasting national contexts, findings reveal a scarcity of MIL-focused learning activities, with information-seeking tasks being the most prevalent, often occurring outside of school hours (such as homework). While teachers acknowledge the importance of MIL, time constraints, technical and pedagogical challenges, and a lack of dedicated training were cited as significant barriers. Teachers rely heavily on self-training and personal information habits to implement MIL-related learning activities in the classroom. They struggle with information seeking for teaching purposes, such as lesson plans. Theoretically, the study highlights the need to address the research gap on teachers’ information practices. Practically, the findings shed light on the necessity of educating primary school teachers in the MIL area, taking into account the role of information in their everyday lives as well as in their jobs, and the way these information experiences shape classroom MIL implementation. Findings suggest that public policies should consider teachers’ actual ability to educate students in MIL (beyond computer equipment and how-to-use training) to reduce information inequalities.

Introduction: The standard dialysate flow (Qd) for hemodialysis (HD) is currently set at 500 mL/min. One potential, sustainable, and cost-effective solution for eco-friendly HD may involve reducing Qd to limit wastewater. However, the effect of reduced Qd on small molecule and middle molecule (MM) removal remains to be investigated. Methods: In this prospective observational study, 74 patients on different maintenance dialysis modalities with Qd set at 500 mL/min (Qd500) were assigned to receive Qd at 400 mL/min (Qd400) for 3 months. Dialysis adequacy, including small solute removal and MM reduction ratio (RR), was evaluated at enrollment and after 3 months. Results: Compared to Qd500, Qd400 after 3 months achieved similar single-pool Kt/V (1.41 ± 0.30 vs. 1.43 ± 0.33, p = 0.58), equilibrated KT/V, urea RR, creatinine RR, and phosphate RR. Qd400 vs. Qd500 provided significantly higher beta2-microglobulin RR (77.0 [71.4–81.7] vs. 74.7 [68.4–79.4] %, p = 0.009) and lower kappa free light chain (FLC) RR (54.2 [42.1–64.4] vs. 57.6 [41.6–65.0] %, p = 0.03), whereas myoglobin and lambda FLC RR were similar. Qd400 resulted in higher pre-dialysis urea (20.2 ± 5.5 vs. 18.2 ± 6.2 mmol/L, p = 0.002), creatinine (694.0 ± 179.5 vs. 665.6 ± 220.4 µmol/L, p = 0.029), beta2-microglobulin (26.5 [23.0–30.0] vs. 23.5 [20.0–28.0] mg/L, p = 0.0001), and myoglobin (174.0 [122.0–251.0] vs. 159.5 [119.0–195.0] µg/L, p = 0.033) levels. Pre-dialysis levels of albumin, potassium, bicarbonate, phosphate, and calcium were similar between Qd400 and Qd500. Conclusion: Three months of Qd at 400 mL/min appears to provide similar small molecule and MM removal, but with an increase in pre-dialysis urea, creatinine, beta2-microglobulin, and myoglobin levels. Although this strategy could help preserve water, its potential impact on long-term clinical outcomes deserves further evaluation.

Abstract This study presents an innovative system for upper limb rehabilitation, combining a variable stiffness device, the ReHArm prototype, with a dynamic and engaging user interface, known as Arms Rehabilitation Management System. The proposed system offers a highly customisable approach to rehabilitation, ensuring real-time adaptability to patients’ specific needs while maintaining compactness and ease of use. Key features include a modular design allowing precise stiffness adjustments, a robust control architecture, and interactive rehabilitation phases designed to enhance user engagement. Extensive multidisciplinary analyses, including kinematic, dynamic, and structural evaluations, demonstrate the system’s ability to improve therapy effectiveness through tailored interaction and feedback. Validation tests demonstrated the prototype’s reliability and robustness, and initial usability assessments suggest its potential to improve rehabilitation outcomes. Further clinical studies involving patients will be necessary to fully evaluate its therapeutic effectiveness.