Anionic polymerization and copolymerization of cyclosiloxanes initiated by trimethylsilylmethyllithium

Summary A novel initiator, i.e. trimethylsilylmethyllithium has been successfully used for the ring opening polymerization of cyclosiloxanes, in toluene or in the bulk, in the presence of the cryptand [211] or DMSO. Suitable conditions have been found in which monomodal distributions of molecular weights are observed for homopolymers of 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-1,3,5,7-tetravinylcyclotetrasiloxane (V₄) as well as for copolymers of V₄ with D₃ or D₄. Laboratoire de Chimie Macromoléculaire associé au CNRS, URA 24     

Dissociations entre musique et langage après atteinte cérébrale: Un nouveau cas d'amusie sans aphasie.

Presents the case of a 40-yr-old female, I.R., who sustained bilateral damage to the temporal lobes and to the right frontal lobe as a result of successive brain surgeries. Her performance is compared to that of 4 neurologically intact Ss who were matched in terms of education, sex and age. I.R.'s performance on various tests aiming at assessing her general cognitive functioning is reported with a particular focus on auditory aspects. Results show that I.R.'s speech abilities are essentially intact. The only language impairments are related to a short-term memory deficit, to some abnormal sensitivity to retroactive interference in long-term memory and to articulation. These difficulties do not, however, affect linguistic communication, which is obviously undisturbed. I.R. does not experience and difficulty in the recognition and memorization of familiar sounds such as animal cries, traffic noises and the like. I.R. is severely impaired in most musical abilities: She can no longer discriminate nor identify melodies that were once highly familiar to her; she can no longer discriminate nor memorize novel melodies. Her pattern of musical losses is compatible with a basic and severe perceptual deficit that compromises access to and registration in memory systems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social ecological model of illness management in high-risk youths with type 1 diabetes.

In this study, the authors tested a social ecological model of illness management in high-risk, urban adolescents with Type 1 diabetes. It was hypothesized that management behaviors would be associated with individual adolescent characteristics as well as family, peer, and provider relationships. Questionnaires were collected from 96 adolescents in poor metabolic control and their primary caregivers. Variables in each system were correlated with illness management. Multiple regression demonstrated that higher externalizing symptoms, poorer family relationships, lower satisfaction with providers, and greater age contributed to the variance in illness management. Internalizing symptoms and peer relationships were no longer significant in the model. Results support a social ecological model of illness management in high-risk youths. Interventions grounded in social ecological theory are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry as a suitable tool for the Li-ion battery electrolyte degradation mechanisms study

To allow electric vehicles to be powered by Li-ion batteries, scientists must understand further their aging processes in view to extend their cycle life and safety. For this purpose, we focused on the development of analytical techniques aiming at identifying organic species resulting from the degradation of carbonate-based electrolytes (EC-DMC/LiPF(6)) at low potential. As ESI-HRMS provided insightful information to the mechanism and chronological formation of ethylene oxide oligomers, we implemented "gas" GC/MS experiments to explore the lower mass range corresponding to highly volatile compounds. With the help of chemical simulation tests, we were able to discriminate their formation pathways (thermal and/or electrochemical) and found that most of the degradation compounds originate from the electrochemically driven linear alkyl carbonate reduction upon cycling and to a lesser extent from a two-step EC reduction. Deduced from these results, we propose an overall electrolyte degradation scheme spanning the entire mass range and the chemical or electrochemical type of processes.     

Demonstration of the conditions conducive to agglomeration of zinc calcine in fluidized bed roasters

Agglomeration in the fluidized bed roasting of zinc sulphide concentrate was investigated in a continuous pilot-scale fluidized bed roaster. Alone or together, low stoichiometric excess oxygen (<10%) and high temperature (>940 °C) contributed most significantly to agglomeration of zinc calcine particles. Only one test – with 0% excess oxygen at 940 °C – led to severe agglomeration and subsequent defluidisation. Neither large initial particle size nor low gas superficial velocity promoted agglomeration as much as the combination of low stoichiometric excess oxygen and high temperature.Lead sulphide, a common impurity in zinc sulphide concentrate, also appeared to have played a key role in agglomeration. Both low excess oxygen and high temperature favoured a high partial pressure of sublimated lead sulphide. Upon contact with oxygen, lead sulphide oxidised to lead oxide, which then precipitated as a liquid onto the rather inert bed particles. As a liquid, lead oxide formed coatings that caused small particles to adhere to larger ones, as well as liquid bridges that bound particles together.     

IL-17A in Human Liver: Significant Source of Inflammation and Trigger of Liver Fibrosis Initiation

IL-17A is considered to guide liver inflammation and fibrosis. From twenty-two human liver samples of different fibrosis stages (F0 to F4), IL-17A, IL-22, and TGFβ1 protein expression in liver tissue lysates were analyzed. Ten paired samples of liver tissue (F0–F1 stage) and blood from the same patient were used to analyze intrahepatic and blood T-lymphoid IL-17A⁺ cells by flow cytometry. The analyses have been performed regardless of pathology, considering the stage of fibrosis. Human liver tissue was used for the primary human liver slice cultures, followed by subsequent cytokine stimulation and fibrotic markers’ analysis by ELISA. IL-17A production in human liver tissue was significantly higher in the early fibrotic stage compared with the advanced stage. Th17 T cells and, to a lesser extent, MAIT cells were the main sources of IL-17A in both compartments, the liver and the blood. Moreover, the presence of liver Th17IL-17A⁺INFγ⁺ cells was detected in the liver. IL-17A stimulation of human liver slice culture increased the expression of profibrotic and pro-inflammatory markers. IL-17A, secreted by Th17 and MAIT cells in the liver, triggered fibrosis by inducing the expression of IL-6 and profibrotic markers and could be a target for antifibrotic treatment. Further amplitude studies are needed to confirm the current results.     

Telechelic polydimethylsiloxanes with terminal acetylenic groups prepared by phase-transfer catalysis

Telechelic, hydroxyalkyl terminated polydimethylsiloxanes were obtained under mild conditions via hydrosilylation of allyl alcohol or ethylene glycol monoallyl ether by oligomeric αω-hydride terminated polydimethylsiloxanes, with the use of a platinum catalyst. They were subsequently modified in a phase transfer catalyzed reaction by propargyl bromide, to give telechelic polysiloxanes terminated by acetylenic groups. The synthetic pathway is described and the characterization of the obtained products is presented.     

Using retina modelling to characterize blinking: comparison between EOG and video analysis

A large number of car crashes are caused by drowsiness every year. The analysis of eye blinks provides reliable information about drowsiness. This paper proposes to study the relation between electrooculogram (EOG) and video analysis for blink detection and characterization. An original method to detect and characterize blinks from a video analysis is presented here. The method uses different filters based on the human retina modelling. A illumination robust filter is first used to normalize illumination variations of the video input. Then, Outer and an Inner Plexiform Layer filters are used to extract energy signals from eye area. The eye detection is processed mixing gradient and projection methods which makes it able to detect even closed eyes. The illumination robust filter makes it possible to detect the eyes even in night conditions, without using external lighting. The video analysis extracts two signals from the eye area measuring the quantity of static edges and moving edges. Blinks are then detected and characterized from these two signals. A comparison between the features extracted from the EOG and the same features extracted from the video analysis is then performed on a database of 14 different people. This study shows that some blink features extracted from the video are highly correlated with their EOG equivalent: the duration, the duration at 50%, the frequency, the percentage of eye closure at 80% and the amplitude velocity ratio. The frame rate influence on the accuracy of the different features extracted is also studied and enlightens on the need of a high frame rate camera to detect and characterize accurately blinks from a video analysis.