The Crosstalk of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSC), Oxidative Stress,and Inflammation in Protective and Adaptive Responses

The potential use of stem cell-based therapies for the repair and regeneration of various tissues and organs is a major goal in repair medicine. Stem cells are classified by their potential to differentiate into functional cells. Compared with other sources, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have the advantage of being abundant and easy to obtain. ADSCs are considered to be tools for replacing, repairing, and regenerating dead or damaged cells. The capacity of ADSCs to maintain their properties depends on the balance of complex signals in their microenvironment. Their properties and the associated outcomes are in part regulated by reactive oxygen species, which mediate the oxidation-reduction state of cells as a secondary messenger. ADSC therapy has demonstrated beneficial effects, suggesting that secreted factors may provide protection. There is evidence that ADSCs secrete a number of cytokines, growth factors, and antioxidant factors into their microenvironment, thus regulating intracellular signaling pathways in neighboring cells. In this review, we introduce the roles of ADSCs in the protection of cells by modulating inflammation and immunity, and we develop their potential therapeutic properties.     

Capacitance of silicon pixels

Capacitance measurements have been made on silicon pixel sensors of types n⁺ on n, p⁺on n, and n⁺ on p. The arrays test a variety of implant and gap widths, and the n⁺ on n devices test several p-stop designs. The measurements examine inter-pixel and backplane contributions and include studies of temperature dependence. Measurements were made before and after irradiation with fluences relevant to LHC experiments and Fermilab Tevatron Run 2.     

Microsurgical sutures with non-transfixing staples. An experimental study of 15 rat aortas

This study, conducted in rats, studied a new system of anastomosis, by nontransfixing clips, pinching each edge of the artery with minimal trauma. Histological examinations were performed at one week and one month in order to investigate the vascular wall in the line of anastomosis. Clinical application of this procedure was undertaken in view of the encouraging and satisfactory results obtained.     

Catalytic effect of halide additives ball milled with magnesium hydride

The influence of various halide additives milled with magnesium hydride (MgH₂) on its decomposition temperature was studied. The optimum amount of halide additive and milling conditions were evaluated.     

The laser wakefield acceleration experiment at Ecole Polytechnique

A laser wakefield electron acceleration experiment has been set-up at Ecole Polytechnique. An electron beam with 3 MeV total energy is injected in a plasma wave generated by laser wakefield using the new LULI CPA laser (400 fs [FWHM], I < 10¹⁷ W/cm²). The first results show an effective acceleration of the order of 1 MeV, with a maximum when the electron density is close to the optimum value for which the laser pulse length is about half the plasma wavelength.     

Reaction‐Bonded Boron Carbide/Magnesium–Silicon Composites

Reaction‐bonded boron carbide was manufactured by infiltrating porous boron carbide preforms at 1273 K with a Mg‐Si eutectic alloy. The resulting composite material consists, in addition to the original B₄C, of SiC, Mg₂Si, and a Mg‐rich complex boride/carbide Mg_x(Al,Si)_y(B,C)_z phase. The composites display high hardness (1700 HV), Young's modulus (356 MPa) and a moderate bending strength (230 MPa). The ballistic efficiency (of about 6.7), as determined by the depth of penetration method, is much higher than that of alumina and similar to that of silicon‐infiltrated reaction‐bonded composites.     

Laser-plasma accelerator: status and perspectives

Laser-plasma accelerators deliver high-charge quasi-monoenergetic electron beams with properties of interest for many applications. Their angular divergence, limited to a few mrad, permits one to generate a small gamma ray source for dense matter radiography, whereas their duration (few tens of fs) permits studies of major importance in the context of fast chemistry for example. In addition, injecting these electron beams into a longer plasma wave structure will extend their energy to the GeV range. A GeV laser-based accelerator scheme is presented; it consists of the acceleration of this electron beam into relativistic plasma waves driven by a laser. This compact approach (centimetres scale for the plasma, and tens of meters for the whole facility) will allow a miniaturization and cost reduction of future accelerators and derived X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) sources.     

Langevin-schroedinger formulation of electronic tunneling through a molecular bridge with a dissipative acceptor

Modeling electronic tunneling through molecular bridges is desired in order to understand the mechanism of long-range electron transfer reactions in nature, as well as for the design of novel molecular electronics devices. Particularly interesting is the effect of the nuclear motion at the molecular bridge on the electron transfer mechanism and rate. In this work we study the effect of electronic nuclear coupling at the molecular bridge on a unidirectional electronic tunneling process from an electron donor into a dissipative acceptor, as may appear in controlled electron transfer reactions at biological membranes, or in heterogeneous electron transfer reactions. The model includes a collection of harmonic bath modes coupled to the dissipative acceptor site and a single mode at the molecular bridge. The parameters of the dissipative bath are tuned such that the electronic population decays from the donor to the acceptor. This process is simulated using a time-dependent nonlinear Langevin-Schroedinger equation, based on a mean-field approximation for the electronic-nuclear coupling at the acceptor site and a numerically exact treatment of the electronic-nuclear coupling at the molecular bridge. The simulations at zero temperature and weak electronic-nuclear coupling demonstrate that electronic tunneling is promoted by coupling to the nuclear mode at the bridge. This result is consistent with our previous studies of electronic tunneling oscillations in a symmetric donor-bridge-acceptor complex, and it emphasizes the importance of electronic nuclear coupling in analyzing long-range electron transfer processes through molecular bridges or wires.     

Slow release rate: Individual granules and population behaviour

Individual granules within a given granule population of a slow-release fertilizer (SRF) have a different release pattern. The populations studied differed both in relation to the time delay before the start of the release process and to the duration of the release. An association between a short delay period and a rapid release was found.The random reease distribution can be approximated using first-order rate equations. In cases, a term describing a lag period should be added.The distribution of release timing among the fertilizer granules may allow a long-lasting nutrient supply to the plant, as long as there are enough granules within the root zone to allow a uniform supply pattern.     

Horizons for Modern Electrochemistry Related to Energy Storage and Conversion,a Review

The purpose of this paper is to suggest frontier inter‐disciplinary research directions that can be considered as important horizons of modern electrochemistry in the field of energy storage and conversion. We selected several topics that call for advancements in solid‐state, interfacial, analytical and energy‐related electrochemical science. A dramatic improvement in the performance of energy storage and conversion devices is needed to meet the urgent demands of our society. Significantly more efficient devices are needed to meet two major challenges: electro‐mobility, namely electrochemical propulsion of electric vehicles, and the ability to store and convert large quantities of energy generated from sustainable sources such as sun and wind. We suggest promotion of breakthroughs in several important directions. The examples chosen include: Development of novel in‐situ methodologies for design and testing composite electrodes for advanced energy storage devices; Improving the electrochemical performance of high specific capacity, but hard to control, LiNiO₂ cathodes for advanced lithium ion batteries designed for electric vehicles, with a quantitative goal of stable specific capacity >230 mAh/g with a charging potential lower than 4.3 V; Advancing aqueous electrochemical systems for large energy storage based on sodium electrochemistry; Promoting development of batteries based on multivalent active metals with magnesium as the most advanced example. There is a strong incentive to promote fundamental and practical progress in the field of rechargeable Mg batteries using new electrodes’ configurations and advanced electroanalytical methods. All these directions require deep efforts in basic, fundamental studies, in order to reach important practical goals.