Decision-making tools for real-time control of the French EHV power system

The decision-making tools recently implemented on the online computers of the national control centre of Electricité de France are presented. These computerized tools are: state estimation, security analysis, generation dispatch and interactive load-flow calculations. They allow a better security assessment and enhancement of the power system and also contribute to a minimization of operating cost. They use the most advanced numerical and computational techniques now available in this field of application.     

Diluted Oxide Interfaces with Tunable Ground States

The metallic interface between two oxide insulators, such as LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ (LAO/STO), provides new opportunities for electronics and spintronics. However, due to the presence of multiple orbital populations, tailoring the interfacial properties such as the ground state and metal‐insulator transitions remains challenging. Here, an unforeseen tunability of the phase diagram of LAO/STO is reported by alloying LAO with a ferromagnetic LaMnO₃ insulator without forming lattice disorder and at the same time without changing the polarity of the system. By increasing the Mn‐doping level, x, of LaAl_1?xMn_xO₃/STO (0 ≤ x ≤ 1), the interface undergoes a Lifshitz transition at x = 0.225 across a critical carrier density of n_c = 2.8 × 10¹³ cm^?2, where a peak T_SC ≈255 mK of superconducting transition temperature is observed. Moreover, the LaAl_1?xMn_xO₃ turns ferromagnetic at x ≥ 0.25. Remarkably, at x = 0.3, where the metallic interface is populated by only d_xy electrons and just before it becomes insulating, a same device with both signatures of superconductivity and clear anomalous Hall effect (7.6 × 10¹² cm^?2 < n_s ≤ 1.1 × 10¹³ cm^?2) is achieved reproducibly. This provides a unique and effective way to tailor oxide interfaces for designing on‐demand electronic and spintronic devices.     

Disaggregation of MODIS surface temperature over an agricultural area using a time series of Formosat-2 images

The temporal frequency of the thermal data provided by current spaceborne high-resolution imagery systems is inadequate for agricultural applications. As an alternative to the lack of high-resolution observations, kilometric thermal data can be disaggregated using a green (photosynthetically active) vegetation index e.g. NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) collected at high resolution. Nevertheless, this approach is only valid in the conditions where vegetation temperature is approximately uniform. To extend the validity domain of the classical approach, a new methodology is developed by representing the temperature difference between photosynthetically and non-photosynthetically active vegetation. In practice, both photosynthetically and non-photosynthetically active vegetation fractions are derived from a time series of Formosat-2 shortwave data, and then included in the disaggregation procedure. The approach is tested over a 16 km by 10 km irrigated cropping area in Mexico during a whole agricultural season. Kilometric MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) surface temperature is disaggregated at 100 m resolution, and disaggregated temperature is subsequently compared against concurrent ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) data. Statistical results indicate that the new methodology is more robust than the classical one, and is always more accurate when fractional non-photosynthetically active vegetation cover is larger than 0.10. The mean correlation coefficient and slope between disaggregated and ASTER temperature is increased from 0.75 to 0.81 and from 0.60 to 0.77, respectively. The approach is also tested using the MODIS data re-sampled at 2 km resolution. Aggregation reduces errors in MODIS data and consequently increases the disaggregation accuracy.     

Pediatric Celiac Disease Patients Show Alterations of Dendritic Cell Shape and Actin Rearrangement

Celiac disease (CD) is a frequent intestinal inflammatory disease occurring in genetically susceptible individuals upon gluten ingestion. Recent studies point to a role in CD for genes involved in cell shape, adhesion and actin rearrangements, including a Rho family regulator, Rho GTPase-activating protein 31 (ARHGAP31). In this study, we investigated the morphology and actin cytoskeletons of peripheral monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) from children with CD and controls when in contact with a physiological substrate, fibronectin. DCs were generated from peripheral blood monocytes of pediatric CD patients and controls. After adhesion on fibronectin, DCs showed a higher number of protrusions and a more elongated shape in CD patients compared with controls, as assessed by immunofluorescence actin staining, transmitted light staining and video time-lapse microscopy. These alterations did not depend on active intestinal inflammation associated with gluten consumption and were specific to CD, since they were not found in subjects affected by other intestinal inflammatory conditions. The elongated morphology was not a result of differences in DC activation or maturation status, and did not depend on the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQ2 haplotype. Notably, we found that ARH-GAP31 mRNA levels were decreased while RhoA-GTP activity was increased in CD DCs, pointing to an impairment of the Rho pathway in CD cells. Accordingly, Rho inhibition was able to prevent the cytoskeleton rearrangements leading to the elongated morphology of celiac DCs upon adhesion on fibronectin, confirming the role of this pathway in the observed phenotype. In conclusion, adhesion on fibronectin discriminated CD from the controls’ DCs, revealing a gluten-independent CD-specific cellular phenotype related to DC shape and regulated by RhoA activity.     

Biphasic Hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated Aldehydes with Hydrosoluble Rhodium and Ruthenium Complexes

Abstract  

The hydrosoluble complexes [Rh(CO)(Pz)(L)]_2, and [RuH(CO)(CH₃CN)(L)₃][BF₄] [L = TPPMS (triphenylphosphinemonosulfonated) and TPPTS (triphenylphosphine-trisulfonated)] were evaluated in the selective hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated aldhydes in biphasic media The Rh complexes produced the saturated aldehydes while the Ru complexes generated the alcohols with high chemoselectivity. The catalytic phase can be recycled up to five times.     

Gliadin Peptide P31-43 Induces mTOR/NFkβ Activation and Reduces Autophagy: The Role of Lactobacillus paracasei CBA L74 Postbiotc

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease characterized by an altered immune response stimulated by gliadin peptides that are not digested and cause damage to the intestinal mucosa. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the postbiotic Lactobacillus paracasei (LP) could prevent the action of gliadin peptides on mTOR, autophagy, and the inflammatory response. Most of the experiments performed were conducted on intestinal epithelial cells Caco-2 treated with a peptic-tryptic digest of gliadin (PTG) and P31-43. Furthermore, we pretreated the Caco-2 with the postbiotic LP before treatment with the previously described stimuli. In both cases, we evaluated the levels of pmTOR, p70S6k, and p4EBP-1 for the mTOR pathway, pNFkβ, and pERK for inflammation and LC 3 and p62 for autophagy. For autophagy, we also used immunofluorescence analysis. Using intestinal organoids derivate from celiac (CD) patients, we analyzed the effect of gliadin after postbiotic pretreatment with LP on inflammation marker NFkβ. Through these experiments, we showed that gliadin peptides are able to induce the increase of the inflammatory response in a more complex model of intestinal epithelial cells. LP postbiotic was able to induce autophagy in Caco-2 cells and prevent gliadin effects. In conclusion, postbiotic pretreatment with LP could be considered for in vivo clinical trials.     

The effect of microstructure on microbiologically influenced corrosion

Microbes seem to accelerate the corrosion process. They locate susceptible areas, fix anodic sites, and produce or accumulate chemical species that promote corrosion. The microscopic heterogeneity of many materials—whether created intentionally or as an artifact—is quite clear on the scale of microbes and is an important and overlooked factor in microbiologically influenced corrosion. Weld regions are particularly attractive to microbes in many of the systems studied.     

Influence of SDZ-PSC833 on daunorubicin intracellular accumulation in bone marrow specimens from patients with acute myeloid leukaemia

From August 1987 through February 1995 we performed 42 surgical procedures in 29 patients with occluded or stenotic radiocephalic arteriovenous fistulae. Operations were designed to preserve native veins for cannulation (Group I) or to preserve access in the same forearm, bypassing the failed fistula (Group II). For 27 procedures in 22 Group I patients, cumulative primary patency was 70%, 57%, and 47% at 6, 12, and 18 months, respectively. A subgroup of patients was identified, however, in whom excellent results could be reliably predicted. Among 19 hemodynamically stable patients with mature fistulae amendable to more proximal arteriovenous anastomoses, cumulative primary patency was 100%, 81%, and 67% at 6, 12, and 18 months, respectively. Secondary patency for 17 such patients was 100%, 89% and 89% for these same intervals. In Group II only two of ten patients required use of other access sites (9 1/2, 18 1/2 months). We believe that all occluded or stenotic radiocephalic arteriovenous fistulae should be considered for surgical salvage. Excellent results can be predicted for (1) hemodynamically stable patients with (2) mature fistulae that (3) fail near the arterial anastomosis and are (4) amendable to new more proximal arteriovenous anastomoses.