Golden interfaces: The Surface of Self-Assembled Monolayers

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiols and disulfides on gold form organic interfaces with properties largely controlled by the end groups of the molecules composing the film. SAMs provide a unique link between the science of organic surfaces and technologies that seek to exploit their adaptable character. Many techniques are useful for probing the structure of SAMs although only scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at picoamperes reveals the details of the packing of their end groups at the sub-angstrom level. This review demonstrates that STM effectively tests new types of control over the microscopic structure–property relationships characteristic of SAMs on gold that should prove useful to their application.     

Hypomethylation of classical satellite DNA and chromosome instability in lymphoblastoid cell lines

To determine possible relationships between DNA hypomethylation and chromosome instability, human lymphoblastoid cell lines from different genetic constitutions were studied with regard to 1) uncoiling and rearrangements, which preferentially affect the heterochromatic segments of chromosomes 1 and 16; 2) the methylation status of the tandemly repetitive sequences (classical satellite and alphoid DNAs) from chromosomes 1 and 16, and of the L1Hs interspersed repetitive sequences. The methylation status largely varied from cell line to cell line, but for a given cell line, the degree of methylation was similar for all the repetitive DNAs studied. Two cell lines, one obtained from a Fanconi anemia patient and the other from an ataxia telangiectasia patient were found to be heavily hypomethylated. The heterochromatic segments of their chromosomes 1 and 16 were more frequently elongated and rearranged than those from other cell lines, which were found to be less hypomethylated. Thus, in these lymphoblastoid cell lines, alterations characterized by uncoiling and rearrangements of heterochromatic segments from chromosomes 1 and 16 seem to correlate with the hypomethylation of their repetitive DNAs. Two-color in situ hybridizations demonstrated that these elongations and rearrangements involved only classical satellite-DNA-containing heterochromatin. This specificity may be related to the excess of breakages affecting the chromosomes carrying these structures in a variety of pathological conditions.     

Examination of coping resources and family adaptation in mothers and daughters of incestuous versus nonclinical families.

Mother–daughter dyads from incestuous vs nonclinical families were compared in terms of (1) family life stress, (2) problem-solving appraisal, (3) direct coping behaviors, (4) mother–daughter communication, and (5) family adaptation and cohesion. 15 mother–daughter pairs from an incestuous family involving an adult male caretaker were matched on several variables to 16 mother–daughter pairs from a nonclinical family. The results revealed that mothers from the incest group (compared with the nonclinical group) reported greater amounts of family life stress, had more negative perceptions of their problem-solving appraisal, and reported more communication difficulties. The daughters from the incest group appeared to be quite similar to the nonclinical group daughters, although they did acknowledge more family stress. Implications of the results for therapeutic interventions as well as future research were discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Oculomotor paralysis. The perspective of a neuro-ophthalmology consultation

Ocular paresis is a usual diagnosis in neuro-ophthalmologic consultation, and its aetiology is indeed a challenge. The authors studied 3400 records concerning this consultation, between 1982 and the third quarter of 1993. During this period 221 cases with ocular paresis were selected. During this retrospective study we point out the following items: the cranial nerve affected; the neuro-ophthalmologic semiology; the aetiology and clinical evolution, according to the age groups. From 221 cases selected, 111 were paresis from the VIth pair (50.2%), 88 from the IIIrd pair (39.8%), 14 multiple paresis (6.4%) and 8 paresis from the IVth pair (3.6%). The most frequent complaint was diplopia (> 90%). As far as the aetiological diagnosis is concerned, this was easier to establish in patients > 50 years of age. In this age group the most usual aetiology was vascular and traumatic pathologies. In younger patients the most frequent pathologies were traumatic and tumoral. The prognostic was better in the vascular group, the paresis recovery being > 50% in all other pathologies, except the tumoral one.     

Study of an aramid surface reactivity: Modification with a cold plasma or an electron beam followed by a postgrafting reaction

Different modes of activation are described for a postgrafting reaction of acrylic acid on poly(p-phenylene terephthalamid) (PPTA)mitrogen plasma or electron-beam irradiation. Both lead to surface radical formation, and these species are able to initiate grafting. The Functionalization through amino group attachment is characteristic of plasma treatment. Degradation initiated by UV-visible emission of plasma is noticed, leading to the amide clivage. The surface grafting is more important when the PPTA is irradiated with a cold plasma and if water is used as the solvent. The polymer crystallinity degree reduces the grafting of the electron beam-irradiated PPTA even with a high radical concentration. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Screening of supports for the immobilization of pectinmethylesterase from acerola (Malpighia glabra L)

A partially purified extract of pectinmethylesterase (PME) from acerola fruit was immobilized on various supports: glass, celite, chrysotile, agarose, concanavalin A Sepharose 4B, egg shell, polyacrylamide and gelatin. In addition, reticulation with glutaraldehyde was assessed, as well as the use of gelatin in the presence of celite, glass and silica. The highest immobilization yields were obtained when the pectinmethylesterase was immobilized in concanavalin A Sepharose 4B (81.7%) and in gelatin‐water (78.0%). Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Friction Stir Welding of Ceramic Particle Reinforced Aluminium Based Metal Matrix Composites

The mechanical and microstructural properties of 6061+20% Al₂O_3p and 7005+10% Al₂O_3p aluminium based metal matrix composites joined by friction stir welding were analyzed in the present study. The two materials were welded into the form of sheets of 7 mm thickness after T6 treatment and were tested in tension at room temperature. The microstructure of the joints was observed by optical microscopy and the fracture surfaces were analyzed by employing a scanning electron microscope equipped with field emission gun in order to study the micromechanisms involved during the deformation.     

Broadband CDMA for personal communications systems

Multipath propagation in a broadband CDMA environment is described. A propagation model for broadband spread-spectrum signals is presented. Experimental results relating to the sharing of the band by fixed service microwave users and mobile personal communications network (PCN) users are discussed. Field tests indicate that PCN systems can provide high-quality communications when sharing the spectrum with fixed-service microwave systems in suburban and urban areas     

Photovoltaic collectors efficiency according to their integration in buildings

A model for building integrated photovoltaic systems has been developed and implemented in a dynamic simulation tool. This tool takes into account the thermal interactions between the PV collector and the building. The influence of the type of integration upon the PV collector efficiency has been evaluated and hybrid PV/air collectors have been studied. An overall efficiency is defined, including the production of electricity and heat. A case study has been performed on two different typical buildings. In the case of a multi-crystalline silicon PV collector integrated on the roof of a single family house located in Paris, the efficiency of unventilated PV modules fixed on the roof is 14%. If the PV collector is used to preheat the ventilation air, the efficiency reaches 20%. A proper building integration also improves the environmental balance of PV technologies over their life cycle.