A critical role for transforming growth factor-beta in donor transfusion-induced allograft tolerance

To evaluate the relationship between carotenoid concentrations in serum and breast tissue, we measured serum carotenoid concentrations and endogenous carotenoid levels in breast adipose tissue of women with benign breast tumor (n = 46) or breast cancer (n = 44). Before extraction, serum was digested with lipase and cholesterol esterase, and breast adipose tissue was saponified. Serum and tissue carotenoids were extracted with ether/hexane and measured by using HPLC with a C30 column. Serum retinoic acid was extracted with chloroform/methanol and measured using HPLC with a C18 column. There were no significant differences in serum carotenoids [lutein, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin (both alpha- and beta-), alpha-carotene, all-trans beta-carotene, 13-cis beta-carotene and lycopene], retinoids (retinol, all-trans and 13-cis retinoic acids), and alpha- and gamma- tocopherol concentrations between benign breast tumor patients and breast cancer patients. A substantial amount of 9-cis beta-carotene was present in adipose tissue and was the only carotenoid that had a significantly lower level in benign breast tumor patients than in breast cancer patients. Correlations between carotenoid concentrations in serum and in breast adipose tissue were determined by combining the data of the two groups. Concentrations of the major serum carotenoids except cryptoxanthin showed significant correlations with breast adipose tissue carotenoid levels. When the concentrations of serum carotenoids were adjusted for serum triglycerides or LDL, correlations between serum carotenoid concentrations and breast adipose tissue carotenoid levels markedly increased, including that of cryptoxanthin (P <0. 001). The strong correlation between serum carotenoid concentrations and endogenous breast adipose tissue carotenoid levels indicate that dietary intake influences adipose tissue carotenoid levels as well as serum concentrations, and that adipose tissue is a dynamic reservoir of fat-soluble nutrients.     

Accurate determination of the band-offset of a quantum semiconductor structure from its capacitance-voltage profile: Application to an InP/Ga0.47In0.53As/InP single quantum well

We discuss the possible analysis of an electron distribution obtained by capacitance-voltage profiling for the determination of the conduction band offset of a single quantum well. We show that, for this method which requires only relatively light experimental equipment, a nonconsuming computational time interpretation can be set up within a quite satisfactory degree of accuracy. As an application, we report the study of a lattice matched InP/Ga_0.47In_0.53As/InP quantum well for which we get ΔE_c = (200±10) meV, in good agreement with other measurements upon this system.     

Structural characterization of TiNxOy/TiO2 single crystalline and nanometric multilayers grown by LP-MOCVD on (110)TiO2

TiO₂/TiN_xO_y superlattices were grown by Low Pressure-Metal-Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (LP-MOVPE) technique at deposition temperatures ranking from 650 to 750°C. The growth was performed on top of TiO₂(110) rutile substrates. Intense peaks observed in the X-rays rocking curves and θ-2θ diffraction patterns show the presence of crystalline epilayers. The TiN_xO_y layers were grown in a (200) cubic structure on the (110) quadratic TiO₂ epilayer structure. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the XRD results and showed the formation of periodic and well structured epilayers.     

Spreading of liquid lead droplets on metallic iron covered by silicon oxide particles or films

As well known, the spreading of a liquid metal droplet on a solid metal is very sensitive to the presence of chemical heterogeneities on the solid metal. In this study, wetting experiments with liquid lead on heterogeneous surfaces composed of iron and silicon oxide particles or films were performed using the dispensed drop technique. High purity iron and binary iron–silicon substrates with different silicon contents were studied. Before the wetting experiments, the substrates are annealed at 850 °C in a N₂–H₂ atmosphere in order to reduce iron oxides and to form silicon oxide particles or films on the surface. The liquid lead droplet is then released onto the metallic substrate partly or wholly covered by the oxides. The spreading of the liquid metal droplet strongly depends on the surface area fraction covered by the oxides.     

Specificity of milk peptide utilization by Lactococcus lactis

To study the substrate specificity of the oligopeptide transport system of Lactococcus lactis for its natural substrates, the growth of L. lactis MG1363 was studied in a chemically defined medium containing milk peptides or a tryptic digest of alpha s2-casein as the source of amino acids. Peptides were separated into acidic, neutral, and basic pools by solid-phase extraction or by cation-exchange liquid chromatogrpaphy. Their ability to sustain growth and the time course of their utilization demonstrated the preferential use of hydrophobic basic peptides with molecular masses ranging between 600 and 1,100 Da by L. lactis MG1363 and the inability to use large, acidic peptides. These peptide utilization preferences reflect the substrate specificity of the oligopeptide transport system of the strain, since no significant cell lysis was inferred. Considering the free amino acid content of milk and these findings on peptide utilization, it was demonstrated that the cessation of growth of L. lactis MG1363 in milk was due to deprivation of leucine and methionine.     

Determination of the flow curve of complex fluids using the Rabinowitsch–Mooney equation in sensorless microrheometer

In this work, we present a way to make rheological measurements on a microfluidic chip. The originality of our approach relies on the determination of the flow curve of a fluid using the Rabinowitsch–Mooney equation. For this purpose, we use a parallel flow between a reference fluid and a studied fluid to measure the pressure drop inside the channel. Using a Newtonian fluid of known viscosity, knowing the flow rates of the two liquids and measuring the geometrical features of the two-phase flow allows determining the pressure drop in the channel. The Rabinowitsch–Mooney equation is used to calculate the local shear rate and shear stress at the wall for the studied sample. We validate our method for several complex fluids.     

Residues of lindane in plasma and fat of sheep after dipping

Ten 5-6 year-old unshorn ewes were dipped in a 0.025% lindane solution. Lindane residues in fat and plasma were analysed by gas liquid chromatography with an electron capture detector. The sensitivity of the method was 0.02 microgram/g for fat and 0.005 microgram/ml for plasma. Blood samples of 5 sheep were collected up to 84 days. The highest concentration of lindane detected in plasma was 107 +/- 37 ng/ml, 48 h after treatment. The disposition of lindane in plasma was studied by linear regression. Omental fat samples were removed by biopsies at 7 or 14 day intervals for 154 days. Fat concentrations of lindane were very high, respectively 30.46 +/- 14.6 ug/g, 8.09 +/- 4.57 micrograms/g, and 1.72 +/- 0.81 micrograms/g, 7, 28 and 70 days after dipping. In plasma and fat, the coefficients of elimination calculated by linear regression were similar (0.00190 +/- 0.00053 h-1 for plasma, 0.00196 +/- 0.00031 h-1 for fat). The tolerance recommended in France (2 micrograms/g in fat) was obtained 59.7 +/- 9.7 days after this treatment.     

The future European standard to determine odour in ambient air by using field inspection

This paper presents the methodologies to determine odour in ambient air by field inspection that will be a new European standard. The objective is to characterise the odour in a defined area. Without making a link with potential annoyance due to the presence of odours, the described methods propose the way to characterise an exposed environment. Two approaches are defined in the new standard: the grid method and the plume method. The grid method can be used to determine the exposure to ambient odours in a defined area of study, using direct observation of recognisable odours in the field by human panel members. This method must be applied over a sufficiently long period of time (6 or 12 months) to be representative of the meteorological conditions of that location. The result is the distribution of the frequency of exposure to odours within the assessment area. The plume method can be used to determine the extent of detectable and recognisable odours from a specific source using direct observation in the field by human panel members under specific meteorological conditions.