Long-term bone response to particulate injectable ceramic

Flow cytometry studies of first-trimester normal human decidua have proposed that a proportion of endometrial granulated lymphocytes (eGL), the predominant leucocyte population in early human pregnancy, co-express CD69. The purpose of this study was to investigate CD69 expression by immunohistochemistry throughout the menstrual cycle and in first-trimester human decidua and to determine whether CD69 expression by eGL is an in vivo characteristic or whether the antigen is acquired in vitro after tissue disaggregation and cell purification. Single immunoenzymatic and double immunofluorescence labelling of tissue sections, supplemented with double immunoenzymatic staining of purified eGL and flow cytometry, indicated that eGL do not co-express CD69 in situ but that they acquire the molecule in vitro after cell purification and culture.     

Combining solar photovoltaic panels and food crops for optimising land use: Towards new agrivoltaic schemes

The need for new sources of renewable energies and the rising price of fossil fuels have induced the hope that agricultural crops may be a source of renewable energy for the future. We question in this paper the best strategies to convert solar radiation into both energy and food. The intrinsic efficiency of the photosynthetic process is quite low (around 3%) while commercially available monocristalline solar photovoltaic (PV) panels have an average yield of 15%. Therefore huge arrays of solar panels are now envisaged. Solar plants using PV panels will therefore compete with agriculture for land. In this paper, we suggest that a combination of solar panels and food crops on the same land unit may maximise the land use. We suggest to call this an agrivoltaic system. We used Land Equivalent Ratios to compare conventional options (separation of agriculture and energy harvesting) and two agrivoltaic systems with different densities of PV panels. We modelled the light transmission at the crop level by an array of solar panels and used a crop model to predict the productivity of the partially shaded crops. These preliminary results indicate that agrivoltaic systems may be very efficient: a 35–73% increase of global land productivity was predicted for the two densities of PV panels. Facilitation mechanisms similar to those evidenced in agroforestry systems may explain the advantage of such mixed systems. New solar plants may therefore combine electricity production with food production, especially in countries where cropping land is scarce. There is a need to validate the hypotheses included in our models and provide a proof of the concept by monitoring prototypes of agrivoltaic systems.     

高压空载线路的可控开、合研究

借助于配有合闸电阻的断路器来限制超高压线路上的开、合过电压的传统方法已被广泛应用的实践证明是很有效的.然而,还可以展望其它的方法,特别是控制断路器瞬间合闸的的方法.研究了超高压线路上采用可控开、合的可能性,并比较了现有的几种解决办法.同时考虑了可能碰到的各种电网特性.详细说明了因断路器的性能造成电网中的过电压水平及所造成的后果.本文的重点放在应用方面的关键问题.     

Biocompatibility screening of silane-treated hydroxyapatite powders, for use as filler in resorbable composites

This study reports in vitro biocompatibility screening of different kinds of silane-treated hydroxyapatite (HA) powders, for use as modified filler in resorbable composite. The silane coupling agents investigated were all methoxysilanes, with either vinyl (VS), or methacryloxy (MPS), or primary amine (AMMO), or secondary amine (TRIAMO), or diamine (DAS) functionality. Evaluation of cell adhesion on the different silanized HA surfaces, indirect agar-overlay test and direct contact test on extracts showed the acute toxicity of all five free silane agents, the innocuity of strongly adsorbed silane molecules on HA surfaces and the dose-dependent toxicity of leachable silanol molecules.     

Description and preliminary results of PHENIX core flowering test

In order to study the core compaction of an authentic sodium-cooled fast reactor and the neutronic consequences of its modification, core flowering tests were performed in the PHENIX reactor within the context its 2009 end-of-life tests. A dedicated in-pile device was designed and manufactured to actuate fuel assemblies and generate mechanical core flowering. During the test, which was performed under different temperature conditions, assembly displacements, flowering forces and reactivity signals were recorded. The mechanical analysis of these results indicates that core compaction seems to be dependent on temperature. The evolution of reactivity with flowering remains negative, even if the flowering source is located in external core.     

Microcharacterization of a new injectable polymer/ceramic composite as bone substitute in spine surgery

The results of microscopic and spectroscopic analysis of a mixture of biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) powder and cellulose ether aqueous sol are reported in this study. This new composite is injectable and is aimed to be used as bone substitute for spine surgery. The influence of the polymer on the physico-chemical properties of BCP was investigated by complementary techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared and Raman spectroscopies and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). When brought into contact with the polymer solution, the ceramic is modified in its granulometry, crystallinity, and surface chemistry. A dissolution/precipitation reaction occurs, leading to a phosphorus-rich and amorphous outer layer of the ceramic surface. Moreover, the bonding state of the composite involves new features that could be assigned to calcium complexes (calcium carbonate or calcium hydroxide).     

Probiotic administration effect on fecal mutagenicity and microflora in the goat's gut

The application of potentially beneficial microorganisms to increase host defense is a new trend to increase health benefits. In this paper the first specific host probiotics for goats from a mixture isolated from healthy animals (Lactobacillus reuteri DDL 19, Lactobacillus alimentarius DDL 48, Enterococcus faecium DDE 39 and Bifidobacterium bifidum DDBA) was assayed. The effect of probiotic oral administration on goats' weight, gut microbiota, as well as on the production of mutagen compounds and their indicator (putrescine), were evaluated. The probiotic supplement was able to modify microflora balance by reducing Enterobacteria like Salmonella/Shigella (1.09 and 1.21 log CFU/g feces, respectively) and increasing lactic acid bacteria and Bifidobacteria (1.67 and 2.34 log CFU/g feces, respectively). The probiotics administration was correlated with a ten time diminution of fecal putrescine (cancer and bacterial disease marker) and a decrease of 60% mutagen fecal concentration, indicating the protective effect of the treatment. Additionally, a significant increase in ruminant weight was observed after probiotic administration. These results are encouraging towards the use of probiotic mixtures as functional food for goats.     

Goniocolorimetry: From measurement to representation in the CIELAB color space

The classical definitions of color are well adapted to diffusing objects, whose color is almost independent of the viewing angle, and to very glossy object observed in the specular direction in respect to the light source. For glossy or iridescent objects, the color is difficult to characterize due to its dependence on the viewing direction. In order to cope with such objects and to represent their angle‐dependent colors in a colorimetric space, we adapt the CIELAB space to “goniocolorimetric” measurements. A crucial point when defining this space is the statement of the viewing solid angle. First, we suggest performing a BRDF measurement at high angular resolution in order to characterize the gloss of the specimen. Then, since for the definition of colors the CIE recommends cones of half‐angle of 2° or 10°, we propose to convert the measured BRDF into a reflectance factor defined in respect to these solid angles. This procedure is eased by a planar multispectral image of the BRDF, where solid angles are specified by the pixel size. At last, the reflectance factors are converted into CIELAB coordinates. By using this procedure, the perfect white diffuser but also the perfect mirror can be represented in this colorimetric space. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 36, 169–178, 2011;