Ruthenium‐Catalyzed One‐Pot Tandem Isomerization–Transfer Hydrogenation Reactions of γ‐Trifluoromethylated Allylic Alcohols and β‐Trifluoromethylated Enones

The ruthenium–2‐propanol combination was found to transform γ‐trifluoromethylated allylic alcohols and β‐trifluoromethylated enones into the corresponding saturated alcohols in excellent yields via a one‐pot tandem process involving isomerization and transfer hydrogenation(s). High stereospecificity was demonstrated and evidence for two mechanistic pathways is provided. The method was applied to a rapid synthesis of trifluoromethylated citronellol.     

A prismoid framework for languages with resources

Inspired by the Multiplicative Exponential fragment of Linear Logic, we define a framework called the prismoid of resources where each vertex is a language which refines the λ-calculus by using a different choice to make explicit or implicit (meta-level) the definition of the contraction, weakening, and substitution operations. For all the calculi in the prismoid we show simulation of β-reduction, confluence, preservation of β-strong normalisation and strong normalisation for typed terms. Full composition also holds for all the calculi of the prismoid handling explicit substitutions. The whole development of the prismoid is done by making the set of resources a parameter of the formalism, so that all the properties for each vertex are obtained as a particular case of the general abstract proofs.     

Adventitial Tertiary Lymphoid Organs as Potential Source of MicroRNA Biomarkers for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an inflammatory disease associated with marked changes in the cellular composition of the aortic wall. This study aims to identify microRNA (miRNA) expression in aneurysmal inflammatory cells isolated by laser microdissection from human tissue samples. The distribution of inflammatory cells (neutrophils, B and T lymphocytes, mast cells) was evaluated in human AAA biopsies. We observed in half of the samples that adventitial tertiary lymphoid organs (ATLOs) with a thickness from 0.5 to 2 mm were located exclusively in the adventitia. Out of the 850 miRNA that were screened by microarray in isolated ATLOs (n = 2), 164 miRNAs were detected in ATLOs. The three miRNAs (miR-15a-3p, miR-30a-5p and miR-489-3p) with the highest expression levels were chosen and their expression quantified by RT-PCR in isolated ATLOs (n = 4), M1 (n = 2) and M2 macrophages (n = 2) and entire aneurysmal biopsies (n = 3). Except for the miR-30a-5p, a similar modulation was found in ATLOs and the two subtypes of macrophages. The modulated miRNAs were then evaluated in the plasma of AAA patients for their potential as AAA biomarkers. Our data emphasize the potential of miR-15a-3p and miR-30a-5p as biomarkers of AAA but also as triggers of ATLO evolution. Further investigations will be required to evaluate their targets in order to better understand AAA pathophysiology.     

ATRP with Alkyl Pseudohalides Acting as Initiators and Chain Transfer Agents: When ATRP and RAFT Polymerization Become One

All controlled radical polymerization (CRP) procedures rely on a dynamic and rapid equilibrium between dormant and active species. This equilibrium can be established through different mechanisms and all the resulting CRP processes have their own advantages and limitations. Therefore, it becomes interesting to investigate the possibility of combining CRP techniques to eliminate specific drawbacks of each individual procedure. Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with alkyl pseudohalides acting as initiators and chain transfer agents was developed for that purpose. The process relies on a dual mechanism involving both activation deactivation and reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT). This peculiar characteristic of ATRP with alkyl pseudohalides acting as chain transfer agents made it possible to overcome some of the limitations typically associated with conventional ATRP and RAFT polymerization as well as to prepare new responsive materials.     

Efficient Implementations of Software Architectures via Partial Evaluation

The notion of flexibility (that is, the ability to adapt to changing requirements or execution contexts) is recognized as a key concern in structuring software, and many architectures have been designed to that effect. However, the corresponding implementations often come with performance and code size overheads. The source of inefficiency can be identified to be in the loose integration of components, because flexibility is often present not only at the design level but also in the implementation. To solve this flexibility vs. efficiency dilemma, we advocate the use of partial evaluation, which is an automated technique to produce efficient, specialized instances of generic programs. As supporting case studies, we consider several flexible mechanisms commonly found in software architectures: selective broadcast, pattern matching, interpreters, software layers, and generic libraries. Using Tempo, our specializer for C, we show how partial evaluation can safely optimize implementations of those mechanisms. Because this optimization is automatic, it preserves the original genericity and extensibility of the implementation.     

Minimalist Z chair assembly by rotational dowel welding

The minimalist Z-chair of Rietveld is an example of a piece of furniture which is now possible to manufacture by using dowel welding technology.     

Ultrastructural evidence for intra- and extranuclear projections of GABAergic neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus

GABAergic projections of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) were demonstrated in a double-labelling ultrastructural study which visualised the efferents of the SCN by PHA-L tracing, diaminobenzidine (DAB) immunocytochemistry, and GABA with immunogold postembedding staining. The results show a strong contralateral projection of the SCN that is partly GABA-containing. In addition, ipsilateral SCN projections to the dorsomedial hypothalamus and periventricular part of the paraventricular nucleus and sub-paraventricular nucleus were shown to contain GABA. The present results indicate that the SCN may utilize this inhibitory neurotransmitter to regulate and organize its own circadian rhythm as well as using GABA to transmit its diurnal information to other regions of the brain.     

Envisioning human-robot coordination in future operations

Developers of autonomous capabilities underestimate the need for coordination with human team members when their automata are deployed into complex operational settings. Automata are brittle as literal minded agents and there is a basic asymmetry in coordinative competencies between people and automata. The new capabilities of robotic systems raise new questions about how to support coordination. This paper presents a series of issues that demand innovation to achieve human-robot coordination (HRC). These include supporting people in their roles as problem holder and as robotic handler, overcoming ambiguities in remote perception, avoiding coordination surprises by better tools to see into future robotic activities and contingencies, and responsibility in human-robot teams.     

An active microphotodiode array of oscillating pixels for retinal stimulation

We have developed an active microphotodiode array (MPDA) for retinal stimulation. The unique feature of the device is that each pixel acts as an independent oscillator, whose frequency is controlled by the incident light intensity. The design is based on a double inverter relaxation oscillator, and the photodiodes are of PIN-type. These oscillating pixels stimulate the nervous tissue with bipolar pulses. The prototype stimulator chips are realized in standard 0.35 μm CMOS technology. The reported preliminary data and performance demonstrate the potential of the new concept for future retinal prostheses.