Définition théorique des paramètres en fort niveau d’un multipôle actif non linéaire

In this paper, large signal non linear P parameters are rigorously defined, allowing the characterization of non linear active n-port circuits in the frequency domain with the aim of computer aided design of power microwave devices. No a priori conditions bind the parameters to the variables describing the input signal. However the following rules apply to the parameters: they may be function of any input variables of the n-port circuit; the expression of the large-signal parameters should become identical to the expression of the linear parameters characterizing the n-port circuit under linear operating conditions when the values of the input variables tend to zero. An application of the definition to afet is demonstrated.     

Anticoagulant, Antioxidant and Antitumor Activities of Heterofucans from the Seaweed Dictyopteris delicatula

In the present study, six families of sulfated polysaccharides were obtained from seaweed Dictyopteris delicatula by proteolytic digestion, followed by acetone fractionation and molecular sieving on Sephadex G-100. Chemical analyses demonstrated that all polysaccharides contain heterofucans composed mainly of fucose, xylose, glucose, galactose, uronic acid, and sulfate. The fucans F0.5v and F0.7v at 1.0 mg/mL showed high ferric chelating activity (～45%), whereas fucans F1.3v (0.5 mg/mL) showed considerable reducing power, about 53.2% of the activity of vitamin C. The fucan F1.5v presented the most prominent anticoagulant activity. The best antiproliferative activity was found with fucans F1.3v and F0.7v. However, F1.3v activity was much higher than F0.7v inhibiting almost 100% of HeLa cell proliferation. These fucans have been selected for further studies on structural characterization as well as in vivo experiments, which are already in progress.     

Polysaccharides as excipients for colon-specific coatings. Permeability and swelling properties of casted films

Oligosaccharides such as inulin (In) and polysaccharides such as galactomannans, combined with polymethacrylates on isolated films for film coatings, were obtained from aqueous-based solvents and investigated as potential vehicles for colonic drug delivery. These compositions, which are susceptible to fermentation by colonic microflora, constitute promising excipients for the development of new colon-specific therapeutic systems. The characteristics of several compositions have been demonstrated in permeability and swelling studies on isolated films composed of a polymethacrylate associated with In or galactomannans of mesquite seed gum (MSG). Results reported prove a dependency of the properties of mixed films on the polymethacrylate-polysaccharide concentration ratio and on the composition of the dissolution media. An increase in permeability through the mixed films was observed in a simulated colonic environment for the following compositions: Eudragit®RS30D-MSG 70 : 30 w/w; Eudragit® RS30D-In 90 : 10 w/w; Eudragit®RS30D-In 76 : 24 w/w.     

New ionization chambers for beta and X-radiation

Two new ionization chambers were designed, constructed and tested in beta and X-radiation fields. They have a circular form, a sensitive volume of 0.6 cm³ and collecting electrodes of graphite and aluminium. The short- and long-term stability checks and the lack of current leakage indicate that the present performance of the chambers is comparable to that expected from secondary standards. The differential energy dependence of both chambers permits effective-energy determination of unknown X-radiation fields. The chambers display applicability for ⁹⁰Sr + ⁹⁰Y radiation detection.     

On the Choice of an Efficient TV Energy Dispersal Waveform for Interference Reduction

Interference from carriers which are frequency modulated by a spreading waveform is examined. A mixed spreading waveform, obtained by adding a line rate component to a frame rate component, is proposed. This spreading is shown to combine advantages which are offered by line rate and frame rate when used separately.     

A Graphical Method for Fire Design of Reinforced Concrete Beams

Fire Technology - Reinforced concrete beams lose resistance at high temperatures and so as to guarantee their good performance, it is mandatory to consider this accidental action in design. As an...     

Juice from king palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae) leaf sheathes: chemical characterisation and use in soft drink formulation

The heart of palm is a food extracted from several species of palm trees. Only 10–20% of the raw material is transformed into canned hearts of palm, therefore this agro‐industry generates a large quantity of solid residue. The aim of this work was to extract and characterise a juice produced from this solid residue. This extract is compared with the traditional fruit juices (orange and pineapple juices), obtaining higher contents of minerals, such as magnesium (22.80 mg/100 g) and potassium (276.90 mg/100 g), phenolic compounds (gallic, 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic, chlorogenic, syringic and caffeic acids) and high free radical scavenging capacity (expressed as 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl), which suggest high antioxidant activity. Additionally, a new soft drink was formulated using this king palm juice as its main ingredient. The soft drink samples formulated with this juice had high sensory acceptability and high intention of consumption, which suggests an important and low‐cost application for this industrial residue.     

Phosphated crosslinked pectin as a potential excipient for specific drug delivery: preparation and physicochemical characterization

Pectin was chemically modified with different amounts of trisodium trimetaphosphate (STMP) in aqueous solution (pH = 12), thereby giving a material with reduced water solubility. The physiochemical characterization of this new material was carried out through Fourier transform infrared and thermogravimetric analyses. Phosphated pectin (Pect‐STMP) together with prebiotic (oligosaccharide) were incorporated into an aqueous dispersion of polymethacrylate (Eudragit^® RS 30 D) in order to obtain free films using a casting process (50 °C) on a Teflon plate. The free films were evaluated using water vapour transmission, average swelling index in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid, scanning electron microscopy and a diffusion study with theophylline in buffer solution with and without pectinolytic enzyme. The results suggest that the new material can be used in the coating process for oral solid‐reservoir systems, to prevent the premature release of drugs in SGF (pH = 1.2). Furthermore, the presence of both Pect‐STMP and oligosaccharide favours the specific degradation of the pellicle by the action of the enzymes produced by colonic microflora. The material obtained in this work has the potential to be applied in devices for drug delivery in the colon, making possible modified release of drugs. Nevertheless, subsequent colon‐specific experiments in vivo need to be carried out in order to confirm the possible application of this new material. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Developmental change of the inhibition by lead of NMDA-activated currents in cultured hippocampal neurons

The inhibition of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-activated current in cultured fetal rat hippocampal neurons by Pb2+ was investigated at various stages of cell development. Pb2+ selectively inhibited NMDA currents recorded from young cultured neurons. In the first week of culture, Pb2+ showed the most prominent inhibition, which was gradually attenuated in the following weeks. Pb2+'s action was selective for NMDA- as opposed to either kainate- or quisqualate-induced currents. The current-voltage relationship for NMDA-induced currents in the presence of Pb2+ revealed that the effect of this cation was voltage-independent, which suggested that the site of interaction of Pb2+ with the NMDA receptor/channel is located outside the membrane electric field. Single channel studies showed that Pb2+ reduced the frequency but not the lifetime of the NMDA-activated single channel currents. Further evaluation of the mechanism of action of Pb2+ on the NMDA receptor demonstrated that this cation is a noncompetitive antagonist of both NMDA and glycine. We have demonstrated that the NMDA-induced whole cell currents change along with cell development, and the effects of Pb2+ are also dependent upon age of culture. The NMDA-induced currents in cultured rat hippocampal neurons had two components, one that decayed rapidly and another that decayed slowly. The fast component was clearly observed at concentrations of glycine higher than 1 microM, whereas the slow component reached its maximum amplitude at the glycine concentration of 1 microM. Moreover, the rapidly decaying component of NMDA-evoked whole cell currents was predominant in young cultured neurons, and its contribution to the total current was reduced in old cultured neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)