Sexual Dimorphism of Corticosteroid Signaling during Kidney Development

Sexual dimorphism involves differences between biological sexes that go beyond sexual characteristics. In mammals, differences between sexes have been demonstrated regarding various biological processes, including blood pressure and predisposition to develop hypertension early in adulthood, which may rely on early events during development and in the neonatal period. Recent studies suggest that corticosteroid signaling pathways (comprising glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid signaling pathways) have distinct tissue-specific expression and regulation during this specific temporal window in a sex-dependent manner, most notably in the kidney. This review outlines the evidence for a gender differential expression and activation of renal corticosteroid signaling pathways in the mammalian fetus and neonate, from mouse to human, that may favor mineralocorticoid signaling in females and glucocorticoid signaling in males. Determining the effects of such differences may shed light on short term and long term pathophysiological consequences, markedly for males.     

Distribution of toxigenic Fusarium spp. and mycotoxin production in milling fractions of durum wheat

A reliable and sensitive PCR assay to specifically detect trichothecene-producing Fusarium spp. in milling fractions and kernel tissue of naturally infected durum wheat is reported. Assays were based on a combination of primers derived from the trichodiene synthase and the β-tubulin genes. The occurrence of toxigenic Fusarium spp. in semolina and wheat tissue (grain ends, crease, pericarp, aleurone layer, germ and albumen) was detected, even for a weakly contaminated wheat sample. Penetration of toxigenic Fusarium spp. into the interior of durum wheat kernel was demonstrated for the Nefer variety, indicating that none of the tissue structures within the wheat kernel acted as an effective barrier to fungal invasion. Moreover, after inoculation by toxigenic Fusarium strains, semolina was shown to allow high yields of trichothecenes, while bran was demonstrated to contain biochemical inhibitors able to significantly reduce trichothecene production. These results will be useful in improving breeding strategies to control trichothecene contamination of durum wheat kernels.     

Pressure effects on nonpremixed strained flames

This article deals with the effect of pressure on the structure and consumption rate of nonpremixed strained flames. An analysis based on the fast chemistry limit indicates that the flame thickness is inversely proportional to the square root of pressure and that the flame structure may be described in terms of a similarity variable that scales like the product of pressure and the strain rate to the power 1/2. This scaling rule also applies to flames submitted to a time-variable strain rate provided that the frequencies characterizing these changes are low compared to the mean strain rate. It is also confirmed that reactants consumption rates per unit flame surface vary like the square root of pressure and that this rule holds for time-variable strain rates of arbitrary nature. Complex chemistry calculations carried out over a broad range of operating pressures indicate that the pressure dependences deduced analytically are remarkably accurate and can be used for a broad range of strain rates, excluding values in the near vicinity of extinction conditions, where finite rate chemistry effects become important and influence the flame response to pressure. Thus, it appears that the pressure exponent characterizing the heat release rate in nonpremixed strained flames is essentially constant and equal to 1/2. This exponent is independent of finite rate chemistry effects, except when conditions are close to extinction.     

BRET Analysis of GPCR Dimers in Neurons and Non-Neuronal Cells: Evidence for Inactive,Agonist, and Constitutive Conformations

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are dimeric proteins, but the functional consequences of the process are still debated. Active GPCR conformations are promoted either by agonists or constitutive activity. Inverse agonists decrease constitutive activity by promoting inactive conformations. The histamine H₃ receptor (H₃R) is the target of choice for the study of GPCRs because it displays high constitutive activity. Here, we study the dimerization of recombinant and brain H₃R and explore the effects of H₃R ligands of different intrinsic efficacy on dimerization. Co-immunoprecipitations and Western blots showed that H₃R dimers co-exist with monomers in transfected HEK 293 cells and in rodent brains. Bioluminescence energy transfer (BRET) analysis confirmed the existence of spontaneous H₃R dimers, not only in living HEK 293 cells but also in transfected cortical neurons. In both cells, agonists and constitutive activity of the H₃R decreased BRET signals, whereas inverse agonists and GTPγS, which promote inactive conformations, increased BRET signals. These findings show the existence of spontaneous H₃R dimers not only in heterologous systems but also in native tissues, which are able to adopt a number of allosteric conformations, from more inactive to more active states.     

Metabolomics-on-a-chip and predictive systems toxicology in microfluidic bioartificial organs

The world faces complex challenges for chemical hazard assessment. Microfluidic bioartificial organs enable the spatial and temporal control of cell growth and biochemistry, critical for organ-specific metabolic functions and particularly relevant to testing the metabolic dose-response signatures associated with both pharmaceutical and environmental toxicity. Here we present an approach combining a microfluidic system with (1)H NMR-based metabolomic footprinting, as a high-throughput small-molecule screening approach. We characterized the toxicity of several molecules: ammonia (NH(3)), an environmental pollutant leading to metabolic acidosis and liver and kidney toxicity; dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), a free radical-scavenging solvent; and N-acetyl-para-aminophenol (APAP, or paracetamol), a hepatotoxic analgesic drug. We report organ-specific NH(3) dose-dependent metabolic responses in several microfluidic bioartificial organs (liver, kidney, and cocultures), as well as predictive (99% accuracy for NH(3) and 94% for APAP) compound-specific signatures. Our integration of microtechnology, cell culture in microfluidic biochips, and metabolic profiling opens the development of so-called "metabolomics-on-a-chip" assays in pharmaceutical and environmental toxicology.     

Revision of the NaBO2–H2O phase diagram for optimized yield in the H2 generation through NaBH4 hydrolysis

The binary phase diagram NaBO₂–H₂O at ambient pressure, which defines the different phase equilibria that could be formed between borates, end-products of NaBH₄ hydrolysis, has been reviewed. Five different solid borates phases have been identified: NaBO₂·4H₂O (Na[B(OH)₄]·2H₂O), NaBO₂·2H₂O (Na[B(OH)₄]), NaBO₂·2/3H₂O (Na₃[B₃O₄(OH)₄]), NaBO₂·1/3H₂O (Na₃[B₃O₅(OH)₂]) and NaBO₂ (Na₃[B₃O₆]), and their thermal stabilities have been studied. The boundaries of the different Liquid + Solid equilibria for the temperature range from −10 to 80 °C have been determined, confirming literature data at low temperature (20–50 °C). Moreover the following eutectic transformation, Liq. → Ice + NaBO₂·4H₂O, occurring at −7 °C, has been determined by DSC. The Liquid–Vapour domain has been studied by ebullioscopy. The invariant transformation Liq. → Vap. + NaBO₂·2/3H₂O has been estimated at 131.6 °C. This knowledge is paramount in the field of hydrogen storage through NaBH₄ hydrolysis, in which borate compounds were obtained as hydrolysis reaction products. As a consequence, the authors propose a comparison with previous NaBO₂–H₂O binary phase diagrams and its consequence related to hydrogen storage through NaBH₄ hydrolysis.     

Batch foaming of SAN/clay nanocomposites with scCO2: A very tunable way of controlling the cellular morphology

This paper aims at elucidating some important parameters affecting the cellular morphology of poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (SAN)/clay nanocomposite foams prepared with the supercritical CO₂ technology. Prior to foaming experiments, the SAN/CO₂ system has first been studied. The effect of nanoclay on CO₂ sorption/desorption rate into/from SAN is assessed with a gravimetric method. Ideal saturation conditions are then deduced in view of the foaming process. Nanocomposites foaming has first been performed with the one-step foaming process, also called depressurization foaming. Foams with different cellular morphology have been obtained depending on nanoclay dispersion level and foaming conditions. While foaming at low temperature (40 °C) leads to foams with the highest cell density (∼10¹²-10¹⁴ cells/cm³), the foam expansion is restricted (d∼0.7-0.8 g/cm³). This drawback has been overcome with the use of the two-step foaming process, also called solid-state foaming, where foam expansion occurs during sample dipping in a hot oil bath (d∼0.1-0.5 g/cm³). Different foaming parameters have been varied, and some schemes have been drawn to summarize the characteristics of the foams prepared - cell size, cell density, foam density - depending on both the foaming conditions and nanoclay addition. This result thus illustrates the huge flexibility of the supercritical CO₂ batch foaming process for tuning the foam cellular morphology.     

The influence of molecular weight distribution of industrial polystyrene on its melt extensional and ultimate properties

We analyze the linear viscoelastic behavior and the strain‐rate dependence of nonlinear viscoelastic as well as the ultimate extensional properties of industrially relevant linear polystyrene mixtures (PS). The studied materials comprise different miscible binary mixtures of a well entangled matrix and unentangled diluent resulting in bimodal molar mass distribution (MWD). We also analyze the effect of the diluent weight average molar mass (M_w) by comparison with a mixture having broad but monomodal MWD. We show that the dilution effect on linear rheological properties is in agreement with the theoretical value of unity for the dilution exponent. We further show that the processing window, expressed as the ability of the material to withstand a given load without loss of homogeneity during elongation or ultimate loss of cohesion, is affected differently depending on the diluent M_w and concentration. Finally, we conclude that the existence of strain hardening is not sufficient for complete characterization of extension dominated operations. Our results demonstrate that significant enhancement of strain hardening achieved by adding small‐M_w diluents is often accompanied by trade‐off with respect to failure behavior of these mixtures. POLYM. ENG. SCI. 56:1012–1020, 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Micromechanics of Amorphous Metal/Polymer Hybrid Structures with 3D Cellular Architectures: Size Effects,Buckling Behavior,and Energy Absorption Capability

By designing advantageous cellular geometries and combining the material size effects at the nanometer scale, lightweight hybrid microarchitectured materials with tailored structural properties are achieved. Prior studies reported the mechanical properties of high strength cellular ceramic composites, obtained by atomic layer deposition. However, few studies have examined the properties of similar structures with metal coatings. To determine the mechanical performance of polymer cellular structures reinforced with a metal coating, 3D laser lithography and electroless deposition of an amorphous layer of nickel‐boron (NiB) is used for the first time to produce metal/polymer hybrid structures. In this work, the mechanical response of microarchitectured structures is investigated with an emphasis on the effects of the architecture and the amorphous NiB thickness on their deformation mechanisms and energy absorption capability. Microcompression experiments show an enhancement of the mechanical properties with the NiB thickness, suggesting that the deformation mechanism and the buckling behavior are controlled by the brittle‐to‐ductile transition in the NiB layer. In addition, the energy absorption properties demonstrate the possibility of tuning the energy absorption efficiency with adequate designs. These findings suggest that microarchitectured metal/polymer hybrid structures are effective in producing materials with unique property combinations.     

Earthen construction: an increase of the mechanical strength by optimizing the dispersion of the binder phase

Although of interest for its low embodied energy content for construction, earth is usually not used for modern construction due to the expensive, artisanal and complicated process and the high variability of the raw material. The transfer of techniques dedicated to cement concrete could help the industrialization of this material. The use of dispersant for an improved dispersion of the earth powder has been investigated for both dispersion of earth fine fraction and water (here named the binding phase) and mortar made with calibrated sand. An improvement of the rheology is observed with lower viscosity and yield stress. This leads to a very small improvement of the density however concomitant with a marked increase of the mechanical properties, Young modulus and compressive strength. The analysis of the microstructure of the mortar shows an increase of the largest pores, and a decrease of the clay platelets flocs. The evolutions of these properties are analyzed in terms of the Rumpf model at two different scales. The dispersant mainly acts on the platelet arrangement that defines the forces between particles, but also simultaneously decreases the permeability of this binding phase, therefore entrapping more air during the mixing of the powder and water. Clearly the use of a dispersant may be of interest for the processing of earth material on liquid state, decreasing the viscosity and/or allowing the reduction of the water content, and finally improving strength.