Caries prevalence and salt fluoridation among 9-year-old schoolchildren in Strasbourg, France

The 9-year-old group (236 children) of an epidemiological study carried out in 1991 in Strasbourg on children aged 6 to 15 years was selected with the aim of determining if the caries prevalence reduction observed could be related to the use of salt fluoridation (FS) introduced in France in 1987. From these 236 children, 143 answered a questionnaire which showed that 36 of them were fluoridated salt users and 107 were not. The dft index was significantly lower in the FS consumers which showed 35.5% dft reduction compared to the non-FS-consuming children. When using the Generalized Linear Model, this reduction was significant (P = 0.03). Although lower in the FS group, the DMFT and DMFS indices showed no statistical significant difference. It appeared that 72.2% of the users took simultaneously fluoride tablets but no dental fluorosis was observed. The use of fluoride tablets had a significant effect on the DMFS (P = 10(-2)). The children who consumed FS used more frequently fluoridated mouthrinses (P = 10(-3)) and had more frequent professional application of fluoridated gel and varnishes than non-consumers (P = 0.02). The DMFS index increased with the number of meals (P = 10(-6)), which was the most significant variable entered into the Generalized Linear Model. The children who brushed their teeth once a day had a DMFS value 2.6 times higher than those who brushed regularly three times a day (P = 10(-3)). The DMFS value was 4.4 times higher among the children who brushed their teeth irregularly when compared with those who brushed three times a day (P = 10(-2)).     

Thermal Shock Resistance of Ladle Castables

High purity alumina-spinel( A-MA) and alumina-magnesia( A-M) castables are widely used in steel ladles due to their resistance against slag penetration and corrosion. With a calcium magnesium aluminate bond( CMA) excellent slag penetration resistance can be achieved which results in high wear resistance due to reduced structural spalling. This paper investigates the impact of matrix compositions and CMA-binder content of A-MA and A-M castables on thermal shock resistance( TSR). Standardized thermal shock tests have been applied with sample quenching from 950 ℃ down to room temperature. Results show that all castables are significantly damaged after 5 cycles despite their differences in microstructure. However,the mix with 12%CMA gave TSR that is at similar good level as the reference mix with 6% CAC( 70% alumina cement). While a similar strength level was achieved before and after the thermal cycling,the formulation with 12% CMA contains 0. 6% less total Ca O. The A-MA castables perform better on average than the A-M mixes with this test method. Within the group of A-M castables the mix with 18% CMA and 0. 5% SiO_2 gave superior TSR,similar good as castables of the A-MA group. The introduction of CMA in an A-M castable allows reduction of free Mg O and SiO_2-addition. The reduction of SiO_2 has been found beneficial for the TSR. This was also found during a thermal cycling trial at high temperature between 1 100 and 1 500 ℃. Here the A-M mix with18% CMA and 0. 5% SiO_2 performed better than the SiO_2-free A-MA castable.     

De‐embedding of filters in multiplexers via rational approximation and interpolation

In this article, we present a method to recover electrical parameters of filters embedded in a multiplexer for which scattering measurements are given. Unlike other approaches proposed for this problem, this method does not require a priori knowledge of the scattering parameters of the junction. This feature renders the procedure well suited for tuning purposes or for fault diagnosis. Technically, the algorithm starts with a rational approximation step, to derive a rational representation of certain scattering parameters of the multiplexer. This representation is then used in a second step to identify an electrical model of each filter. This second step relies on a rational interpolation technique used to extract the filter's responses. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 25:647–654, 2015.     

De‐embedding response of filters from diplexer measurements

In this article, we present two methods to de‐embed the filters' responses from a diplexer whose junction is known. A weak identification problem is here described by means of a dual‐state junction and can be applied for general diagnosis of prototype diplexers. A strong identification problem based on rationality of the filters is also introduced here and is suited for a real‐time tuning process. This technique is based on a polynomial approximation derived analytically from the algebraic structure of the diplexer's response. Additional unknown delays violating the rational assumption can be moreover detected and estimated. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2013.     

Functionalized poly (vinyl alcohol) polymer as chemodosimeter material for the colorimetric sensing of cyanide in pure water

New poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) derivative containing pendant chemoselective functionality is prepared for the cyanide detection in pure water. Particularly, incorporation of the chemodosimeter 4 on PVA is performed by direct coupling of the hydroxyl group of the dye 4 and PVA hydroxyl groups via ethereal linkage using di-bromoalkane as a cross-linking agent. The chemosensory capacity of the polymeric material for the colorimetric sensing of cyanide in water is based on the reactivity of this anion toward the chemodosimeter, and its water solubility is given by PVA moiety. The chemodosimeter is developed on the basis of the trifluoroacetyl group as electrophile receptor of the cyanide anions. The final water soluble functionalized polymer presents a sensible selectivity toward cyanide anions in pure water.     

Effect of the crystallization of a solute on the cohesion in granular materials

We study experimentally the macroscopic cohesion of wet granular materials during water evaporation and progressive crystallization of a solute between grains. The samples are wetted granular columns of cylindrical shape subjected to vertical compression tests. The compressive strength allows us to follow the evolution of the material from the capillary cohesion regime to the cemented cohesion regime. Surprisingly, we find that this transition is governed by a control parameter defined as the ratio of the crystallized solute mass to the total mass of the solute present in the sample rather than the absolute amount of the crystallized solute.     

ST6GALNAC5 Expression Decreases the Interactions between Breast Cancer Cells and the Human Blood-Brain Barrier

The ST6GALNAC5 gene that encodes an α2,6-sialyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of α-series gangliosides, was previously identified as one of the genes that mediate breast cancer metastasis to the brain. We have shown that the expression of ST6GALNAC5 in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells resulted in the expression of G_D1α ganglioside at the cell surface. By using a human blood-brain barrier in vitro model recently developed, consisting in CD34⁺ derived endothelial cells co-cultivated with pericytes, we show that ST6GALNAC5 expression decreased the interactions between the breast cancer cells and the human blood-brain barrier.