Inhibition by 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid of fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis in isolated rat hepatocytes

Fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis in isolated rat hepatocytes were strongly inhibited by 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid. With either³H₂O or [2-¹⁴C]acetate as the labeled precursor, the concentrations of inhibitor causing 50% decrease in fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis were, respectively, <0.005 mM and 0.020 mM. At 0.1 mM inhibitor, citrate concentration in cells from fed rats was increased by 75%; lactate and pyruvate concentrations were decreased by 30%; ethanol oxidation was decreased by 20%; with cells from starved rats, the mitochondrial [NAD⁺]/[NADH] was decreased. Other parameters were unaffected. Both its potency and its specificity indicate that 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid will be useful in studies on the regulation of lipid biosynthesis.     

Dynamic Model Adaptation for Multiscale Simulation of Hyperbolic Systems with Relaxation

In numerous industrial CFD applications, it is usual to use two (or more) different codes to solve a physical phenomenon: where the flow is a priori assumed to have a simple behavior, a code based on a coarse model is applied, while a code based on a fine model is used elsewhere. This leads to a complex coupling problem with fixed interfaces. The aim of the present work is to provide a numerical indicator to optimize to position of these coupling interfaces. In other words, thanks to this numerical indicator, one could verify if the use of the coarser model and of the resulting coupling does not introduce spurious effects. In order to validate this indicator, we use it in a dynamical multiscale method with moving coupling interfaces. The principle of this method is to use as much as possible a coarse model instead of the fine model in the computational domain, in order to obtain an accuracy which is comparable with the one provided by the fine model. We focus here on general hyperbolic systems with stiff relaxation source terms together with the corresponding hyperbolic equilibrium systems. Using a numerical Chapman–Enskog expansion and the distance to the equilibrium manifold, we construct the numerical indicator. Based on several works on the coupling of different hyperbolic models, an original numerical method of dynamic model adaptation is proposed. We prove that this multiscale method preserves invariant domains and that the entropy of the numerical solution decreases with respect to time. The reliability of the adaptation procedure is assessed on various 1D and 2D test cases coming from two-phase flow modeling.     

Metal materials biodegradation: a chronoamperometric study

The aim of this work is to illustrate the use of a reliable electrochemical technique — chronoamperometry — for the study of the biodegradation process that metal alloys suffer in the human body. The designedin vitro experiments, simulating in a short period the situationin vivo, can be used to quantify the materials corrosion resistance. Data on the amount of released materials can also be obtained which is valuable information for research on biocompatibility.     

Grafting Single Molecule Magnets on Gold Nanoparticles

The chemical synthesis and characterization of the first hybrid material composed by gold nanoparticles and single molecule magnets (SMMs) are described. Gold nanoparticles are functionalized via ligand exchange using a tetrairon(III) SMM containing two 1,2‐dithiolane end groups. The grafting is evidenced by the shift of the plasmon resonance peak recorded with a UV–vis spectrometer, by the suppression of nuclear magnetic resonance signals, by X‐ray photoemission spectroscopy peaks, and by transmission electron microscopy images. The latter evidence the formation of aggregates of nanoparticles as a consequence of the cross‐linking ability of Fe₄ through the two 1,2‐dithiolane rings located on opposite sides of the metal core. The presence of intact Fe₄ molecules is directly proven by synchrotron‐based X‐ray absorption spectroscopy and X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy, while a detailed magnetic characterization, obtained using electron paramagnetic resonance and alternating‐current susceptibility, confirms the persistence of SMM behavior in this new hybrid nanostructure.     

Critical scenarios derivation methodology for mechatronic systems

This paper deals with safety in design of mechatronic systems. We propose a method based on a qualitative analysis of a Petri net model of the system. It allows deriving feared scenarios by determining the sequences of actions and state changes leading to the feared state in which the passenger's safety is no longer guaranteed. The Petri net model of the system takes into account normal behaviour, failures and reconfiguration mechanisms. Our approach uses linear logic as formal framework and is based on a backward and a forward reasoning. It derives feared scenarios as causal relationships between normal states and the feared one.     

Sputtered metal lift-off for grating fabrication on InP based optical devices

Sputtered metal gratings have been realized using lift-off process based on bilayer resist electron beam lithography (EBL). The lithography mask is composed of PMMA (poly(methylméthacrylate)) layer deposited under HSQ (hydrogen silsesquioxane) inorganic resist. EBL is performed in HSQ, whereas PMMA is used to ease final lift-off. We demonstrate the possibility of patterning by lift-off metals with different sputtering yields and deposition conditions. Gratings with period of 200 nm and filling factor of 50% are obtained.     

Tuning of a Vertical Spin Valve with a Monolayer of Single Molecule Magnets

The synthesis and the chemisorption from solution of a terbium bis‐phthalocyaninato complex suitable for the functionalization of lanthanum strontium manganite (LSMO) are reported. Two phosphonate groups are introduced in the double decker structure in order to allow the grafting to the ferromagnetic substrate actively used as injection electrode in organic spin valve devices. The covalent bonding of functionalized terbium bis‐phthalocyaninato system on LSMO surface preserves its molecular properties at the nanoscale. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the integrity of the molecules on the LSMO surface and a small magnetic hysteresis reminiscent of the typical single molecule magnet behavior of this system is detected on surface by X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism experiments. The effect of the hybrid magnetic electrode on spin polarized injection is investigated in vertical organic spin valve devices and compared to the behavior of similar spin valves embedding a single diamagnetic layer of alkyl phosphonate molecules analogously chemisorbed on LSMO. Magnetoresistance experiments have evidenced significant alterations of the magneto‐transport by the terbium bis‐phthalocyaninato complex characterized by two distinct temperature regimes, below and above 50 K, respectively.     

Inventory on the dietary assessment tools available and needed in africa: a prerequisite for setting up a common methodological research infrastructure for nutritional surveillance,research, and prevention of diet-related non-communicable diseases

Objective: To carry out an inventory on the availability, challenges, and needs of dietary assessment (DA) methods in Africa as a pre-requisite to provide evidence, and set directions (strategies) for implementing common dietary methods and support web-research infrastructure across countries. Methods: The inventory was performed within the framework of the “Africa's Study on Physical Activity and Dietary Assessment Methods” (AS-PADAM) project. It involves international institutional and African networks. An inventory questionnaire was developed and disseminated through the networks. Eighteen countries responded to the dietary inventory questionnaire. Results: Various DA tools were reported in Africa; 24-Hour Dietary Recall and Food Frequency Questionnaire were the most commonly used tools. Few tools were validated and tested for reliability. Face-to-face interview was the common method of administration. No computerized software or other new (web) technologies were reported. No tools were standardized across countries. Conclusions: The lack of comparable DA methods across represented countries is a major obstacle to implement comprehensive and joint nutrition-related programmes for surveillance, programme evaluation, research, and prevention. There is a need to develop new or adapt existing DA methods across countries by employing related research infrastructure that has been validated and standardized in other settings, with the view to standardizing methods for wider use.     

The Use of Pro-Angiogenic and/or Pro-Hypoxic miRNAs as Tools to Monitor Patients with Diffuse Gliomas

IDH (isocitrate dehydrogenase) mutation, hypoxia, and neo-angiogenesis, three hallmarks of diffuse gliomas, modulate the expression of small non-coding RNAs (miRNA). In this paper, we tested whether pro-angiogenic and/or pro-hypoxic miRNAs could be used to monitor patients with glioma. The miRNAs were extracted from tumoral surgical specimens embedded in the paraffin of 97 patients with diffuse gliomas and, for 7 patients, from a blood sample too. The expression of 10 pro-angiogenic and/or pro-hypoxic miRNAs was assayed by qRT-PCR and normalized to the miRNA expression of non-tumoral brain tissues. We confirmed in vitro that IDH in hypoxia (1% O₂, 24 h) alters pro-angiogenic and/or pro-hypoxic miRNA expression in HBT-14 (U-87 MG) cells. Then, we reported that the expression of these miRNAs is (i) strongly affected in patients with glioma compared to that in a non-tumoral brain; (ii) correlated with the histology/grade of glioma according to the 2016 WHO classification; and (iii) predicts the overall and/or progression-free survival of patients with glioma in univariate but not in a multivariate analysis after adjusting for sex, age at diagnosis, and WHO classification. Finally, the expression of miRNAs was found to be the same between the plasma and glial tumor of the same patient. This study highlights a panel of seven pro-angiogenic and/or pro-hypoxic miRNAs as a potential tool for monitoring patients with glioma.     

Dyeing plants screening: an approach to combine past heritage and present development

The paper reports an investigation of the colouring properties of 43 dyeing plants chosen for their widespread use in previous centuries. Colorimetric analysis showed that the principal colours on different fabric supports were yellow and mostly unsaturated. The nature of the support fibres investigated, protein- or cellulose-based, was shown to play an important role in the perceived colours. Phytochemical analysis confirmed that yellow-orange shades could be attributed to flavonoids and that red colours were due to anthraquinones. Colours from plants that contain anthocyanins varied from blue-violet through reddish depending on the structure of the anthocyanins in the individual plants. Colour fastness was determined by applying standard test methods. Fastness to light appeared to be inadequate for industrial applications for most samples, but it seems that this could be improved by certain molecular associations. On the other hand, colour fastness to water was satisfactory.