Impact of the Dairy Matrix Structure on Milk Protein Digestion Kinetics: Mechanistic Modelling Based on Mini-pig In Vivo Data

Beyond the individual content in nutrients, it is now established that the matrix structure is also to consider when evaluating the nutritional properties and possible health effects of a food material. The objective of this study was to gain knowledge on the effect of the structure of dairy products on the digestion of milk proteins as inferred from a mathematical modelling of mini-pig in vivo data. Six dairy matrices of the same composition but differing by their physicochemical and structural properties were investigated. They were manufactured using technological processes commonly used in the industry (heat treatment, rennet gelation, acid gelation and mixing). The experimental results cover a 7-h postprandial period and consist of plasmatic amino acid concentrations as well as dry matter contents and chromium concentrations (a marker of the liquid phase of the meal) of samples collected at the stomach exit. The model developed not only accounts for the main digestive events but also for phenomena that can occur within the stomach (milk clotting and aggregate syneresis). It provides a good fitting of all the experimental data and allows estimating parameter values that can be explained by considering the properties of the matrices investigated. The model has also been used to estimate quantities that cannot be observed experimentally (stomach volumes, endogenous secretions, gastric emptying half-time, etc.) in order to recover a better picture of all the results and validate the model predictions against the literature. It even appears that our simulations of gastric emptying and aminoacidemia superimpose very well with previously published data obtained using similar matrices and the same mini-pig species. This study shows that the great differences in the kinetics of amino acid absorption that were observed experimentally can be fully understood by considering the behaviour of the dairy matrices within the stomach. It therefore offers interesting perspectives for the integration of food structure parameters, and more particularly for dairy products, in the comprehensive view of the nutritional quality of food products.     

New Unsymmetrically Benzene-Fused Bis (Tetrathiafulvalene): Synthesis,Characterization, Electrochemical Properties and Electrical Conductivity of Their Materials

The synthesis of new unsymmetrically benzene-fused bis (tetrathiafulvalene) has been carried out by a cross-coupling reaction of the respective 4,5-dialkyl-1,3-dithiole- 2-selenone 6–9 with 2-(4-(p-nitrophenyl)-1,3-dithiole-2-ylidene)-1,3,5,7-tetrathia-s-indacene- 6-one 5 prepared by olefination of 4-(p-nitrophenyl)-1,3-dithiole-2-selenone 3 and 1,3,5,7-tetrathia-s-indacene-2,6-dione 4. The conversion of the nitro moiety 10a–d to amino 11a–d then dibenzylamine 12a–d groups respectively used reduction and alkylation methods. The electron donor ability of these new compounds has been measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique. Charge transfer complexes with tetracyanoquino-dimethane (TCNQ) were prepared by chemical redox reactions. The complexes have been proven to give conducting materials.     

Photoredox catalysis for polymerization reactions

Photoredox catalysis is now well-known in organic synthesis for the formation of free radicals under very soft irradiations conditions (e.g. sunlight, household fluorescence or LED bulbs, Xe lamp). This method has been introduced here to the polymer chemistry area to initiate ring opening polymerizations (ROP) or free radical polymerizations (FRP). The present paper will give an up-to date situation of the photocatalyst achievements in FRP and ROP.     

Dynamic aspects of cerium dioxide sintering: HT-ESEM study of grain growth and pore elimination

Sintering of CeO₂ is studied in situ by high temperature scanning environmental microscopy (HT-ESEM) at T = 1400 °C. The morphological modifications of a single grains population are recorded for 6 h. Kinetic parameters are extracted from image series. The local grain growth determined from the single population studied in situ is compared to the general grain growth obtained by classical ex situ technique. Using HT-ESEM for sintering study is validated. The grain boundary velocities range between 0 and 5 μm h⁻¹, with a mean value of about 1 μm h⁻¹. The migration of the intragranular surface pores is described. Their velocities range between 0.4 and 1.2 μm h⁻¹ and depend on pore diameters: the smaller the pore, the faster the pore velocity. The time required to fill a pore that arises at the sample surface is determined as a function of pore diameter. The time for pore elimination dependence with the pore diameters is also established.     

Eco-Bat: A design tool for assessing environmental impacts of buildings and equipment

This paper presents the features of Eco-Bat, a computer program developed to assess the environmental impacts of buildings, including construction materials and energy consumed, during its life cycle. The methodology used to evaluate environmental impacts based on a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach, compatible with ISO 14040 standards, is detailed. The data are mainly extracted from an environmental impacts database, Ecoinvent, which contains values for the manufacturing and elimination of numerous materials as well as other processes. Two applications are presented to illustrate the possibilities offered by Eco-Bat. The first one is a comparison of different variants of building facades. The second example shows the analysis of a whole building including its energy consumption.     

Identification of cell surface markers to differentiate rat endothelial and fibroblast cells using lectin arrays and LC-ESI-MS/MS

Vascular endothelial cells located at the inner surface of blood vessels are a key component in angiogenesis and are employed as a primary cell type in the study of angiogenesis. These endothelial cells are, however, easily contaminated with fibroblast cells, which are located in proximity to the endothelial cells, during their isolation from tissue. It is thus important to find markers to distinguish the two cell types. In the present work, lectin arrays were prepared using aldehyde-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and utilized to explore cell surface carbohydrate expression patterns on endothelial and fibroblast cells. It was found that the lectins Griffonia simplicifolia II (GS II) and Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA I) selectively bind to rat fibroblast cells and not to rat endothelial cells. GS II-binding glycoproteins on fibroblast cells, which are potential cell surface markers to differentiate endothelial and fibroblast cells, were captured on a GS II lectin column and analyzed by LC-ESI-MS/MS. Six candidate cell surface glycoproteins were identified. Differential expression was confirmed by Western blot analysis for two of these proteins, lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein-1 and transmembrane glycoprotein NMB.     

Unpacking the cognitive architecture of emotion processes.

The results of 2 electroencephalographic studies confirm Component Process Model (CPM) predictions that different appraisal checks have specific brain state correlates, occur rapidly in a brief time window after stimulation, and produce results that occur in sequential rather than parallel fashion. The data are compatible with the assumption that early checks (novelty and intrinsic pleasantness) occur in an automatic, unconscious mode of processing, whereas later checks, specifically goal conduciveness, require more extensive, effortful, and controlled processing. Overall, this work, combined with growing evidence for the CPM's response patterning predictions concerning autonomic physiological signatures, facial muscle movements, and vocalization changes, suggests that this model provides an appropriate basis for the unpacking of the cognitive architecture of emotion and its computational modeling. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ferrocenyl-terminated Dendrimers: Design for Applications in Molecular Electronics, Molecular Recognition and Catalysis

This micro-review shows how a simple but powerful organometallic C–H activation could be made very useful for the construction of a large variety of stars, dendritic cores, dendrons and dendrimers of variable sizes including giant dendrimers and gold-nanoparticle-cored dendrimers. The synthesis of ferrocenyl-terminated dendrimers was then achieved by reactions of chlorocarbonylferrocene with polyamino dendrimers, ferrocenylsilylation of polyolefin dendrons and dendrimers and “click” reactions of ferrocenyl acetylene with azido-terminated dendrimers. The functions of these metallodendrimers include molecular electronics (molecular batteries), molecular redox recognition and sensing and catalysis using dendritic stabilization of nanoparticle catalysts.     

Oxidation of atmospheric humic like substances by ozone: a kinetic and structural analysis approach

This work explores the heterogeneous reaction between HUmic-LIke Substances (so-called HULIS) and ozone. Genuine atmospheric HULIS were extracted from aerosol samples collected in Chamonix (France) in winter and used in coated flow tube experiments to evaluate heterogeneous uptake of O? on such mixtures. The uptake coefficient (γ) was investigated as a function of pH (from 2.5 to 10), O? concentration (from 8 to 33 × 1011 molecules cm?3), relative humidity (20 to 65%) and photon flux (from 0 to 1.66 × 101? photons cm?2 s?1). Reactive uptake was found to increase in the irradiated experiment with pH, humidity and photon flux. The extract was characterized before and after exposure to O? and/or UV light in the attempt to elucidate the effect of the photochemical aging. Carbon content measurements, UV-vis spectroscopy and functional groups analysis revealed a decrease of the UV absorbance as well as of the carbon mass content, while the functionalization rate (COOH and C═O) and therefore the polarity increased during the simulated photochemical exposure.     

Tracking of airborne radionuclides from the damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactors by European networks

Radioactive emissions into the atmosphere from the damaged reactors of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (NPP) started on March 12th, 2011. Among the various radionuclides released, iodine-131 ((131)I) and cesium isotopes ((137)Cs and (134)Cs) were transported across the Pacific toward the North American continent and reached Europe despite dispersion and washout along the route of the contaminated air masses. In Europe, the first signs of the releases were detected 7 days later while the first peak of activity level was observed between March 28th and March 30th. Time variations over a 20-day period and spatial variations across more than 150 sampling locations in Europe made it possible to characterize the contaminated air masses. After the Chernobyl accident, only a few measurements of the gaseous (131)I fraction were conducted compared to the number of measurements for the particulate fraction. Several studies had already pointed out the importance of the gaseous (131)I and the large underestimation of the total (131)I airborne activity level, and subsequent calculations of inhalation dose, if neglected. The measurements made across Europe following the releases from the Fukushima NPP reactors have provided a significant amount of new data on the ratio of the gaseous (131)I fraction to total (131)I, both on a spatial scale and its temporal variation. It can be pointed out that during the Fukushima event, the (134)Cs to (137)Cs ratio proved to be different from that observed after the Chernobyl accident. The data set provided in this paper is the most comprehensive survey of the main relevant airborne radionuclides from the Fukushima reactors, measured across Europe. A rough estimate of the total (131)I inventory that has passed over Europe during this period was <1% of the released amount. According to the measurements, airborne activity levels remain of no concern for public health in Europe.