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Showing papers by "Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University published in 2003"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a set of high-redshift supernovae were used to confirm previous supernova evidence for an accelerating universe, and the supernova results were combined with independent flat-universe measurements of the mass density from CMB and galaxy redshift distortion data, they provided a measurement of $w=-1.05^{+0.15}-0.09$ if w is assumed to be constant in time.
Abstract: We report measurements of $\Omega_M$, $\Omega_\Lambda$, and w from eleven supernovae at z=0.36-0.86 with high-quality lightcurves measured using WFPC-2 on the HST. This is an independent set of high-redshift supernovae that confirms previous supernova evidence for an accelerating Universe. Combined with earlier Supernova Cosmology Project data, the new supernovae yield a flat-universe measurement of the mass density $\Omega_M=0.25^{+0.07}_{-0.06}$ (statistical) $\pm0.04$ (identified systematics), or equivalently, a cosmological constant of $\Omega_\Lambda=0.75^{+0.06}_{-0.07}$ (statistical) $\pm0.04$ (identified systematics). When the supernova results are combined with independent flat-universe measurements of $\Omega_M$ from CMB and galaxy redshift distortion data, they provide a measurement of $w=-1.05^{+0.15}_{-0.20}$ (statistical) $\pm0.09$ (identified systematic), if w is assumed to be constant in time. The new data offer greatly improved color measurements of the high-redshift supernovae, and hence improved host-galaxy extinction estimates. These extinction measurements show no anomalous negative E(B-V) at high redshift. The precision of the measurements is such that it is possible to perform a host-galaxy extinction correction directly for individual supernovae without any assumptions or priors on the parent E(B-V) distribution. Our cosmological fits using full extinction corrections confirm that dark energy is required with $P(\Omega_\Lambda>0)>0.99$, a result consistent with previous and current supernova analyses which rely upon the identification of a low-extinction subset or prior assumptions concerning the intrinsic extinction distribution.

1,687 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
14 Nov 2003-Science
TL;DR: Using brain imaging in humans, it is shown that the lateral PFC is organized as a cascade of executive processes from premotor to anterior PFC regions that control behavior according to stimuli, the present perceptual context, and the temporal episode in which stimuli occur, respectively.
Abstract: The prefrontal cortex (PFC) subserves cognitive control: the ability to coordinate thoughts or actions in relation with internal goals. Its functional architecture, however, remains poorly understood. Using brain imaging in humans, we showed that the lateral PFC is organized as a cascade of executive processes from premotor to anterior PFC regions that control behavior according to stimuli, the present perceptual context, and the temporal episode in which stimuli occur, respectively. The results support an unified modular model of cognitive control that describes the overall functional organization of the human lateral PFC and has basic methodological and theoretical implications.

1,680 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
17 Oct 2003-Science
TL;DR: The entry of GlyRs into the synapse by diffusion was observed and further confirmed by electron microscopy imaging of QD-tagged receptors.
Abstract: Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are nanometer-sized fluorescent probes suitable for advanced biological imaging. We used QDs to track individual glycine receptors (GlyRs) and analyze their lateral dynamics in the neuronal membrane of living cells for periods ranging from milliseconds to minutes. We characterized multiple diffusion domains in relation to the synaptic, perisynaptic, or extrasynaptic GlyR localization. The entry of GlyRs into the synapse by diffusion was observed and further confirmed by electron microscopy imaging of QD-tagged receptors.

1,449 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors build a conceptual model of the priming effect based on the contradictory results available in the literature adopting the concept of nutritional competition, and they postulate that priming results from the competition for energy and nutrient acquisition between the microorganisms specialized in the decomposition of fresh organic matter and those feeding on polymerised SOM.
Abstract: It is generally accepted that the low quality of soil carbon limits the amount of energy available for soil microorganisms, and in turn the rate of soil carbon mineralization. The priming effect, i.e. the increase in soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition rate after fresh organic matter input to soil, is often supposed to result from a global increase in microbial activity due to the higher availability of energy released from the decomposition of fresh organic matter. Work to date, however, suggests that supply of available energy induces no effect on SOM mineralization. The mechanisms of the priming effect are much more complex than commonly believed. The objective of this review was to build a conceptual model of the priming effect based on the contradictory results available in the literature adopting the concept of nutritional competition. After fresh organic matter input to soils, many specialized microorganisms grow quickly and only decompose the fresh organic matter. We postulated that the priming effect results from the competition for energy and nutrient acquisition between the microorganisms specialized in the decomposition of fresh organic matter and those feeding on polymerised SOM.

1,433 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The HITRAN compilation consists of several components useful for radiative transfer calculation codes: high-resolution spectroscopic parameters of molecules in the gas phase, absorption cross-sections for molecules with very dense spectral features, aerosol refractive indices, ultraviolet line-by-line parameters and absorptionCross-sections, and associated database management software.
Abstract: This paper describes the status circa 2001, of the HITRAN compilation that comprises the public edition available through 2001. The HITRAN compilation consists of several components useful for radiative transfer calculation codes: high-resolution spectroscopic parameters of molecules in the gas phase, absorption cross-sections for molecules with very dense spectral features, aerosol refractive indices, ultraviolet line-by-line parameters and absorption cross-sections, and associated database management software. The line-by-line portion of the database contains spectroscopic parameters for 38 molecules and their isotopologues and isotopomers suitable for calculating atmospheric transmission and radiance properties. Many more molecular species are presented in the infrared cross-section data than in the previous edition, especially the chlorofluorocarbons and their replacement gases. There is now sufficient representation so that quasi-quantitative simulations can be obtained with the standard radiance codes. In addition to the description and justification of new or modified data that have been incorporated since the last edition of HITRAN (1996), future modifications are indicated for cases considered to have a significant impact on remote-sensing experiments. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1,231 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: These controls of the size and shape of inorganic nanomaterials are discussed and it is shown that nanoparticles can be considered to be efficient nanoreactors.
Abstract: In the past decade, colloidal solutions have been assumed to be very efficient templates for controlling particle size and shape A large number of groups have used reverse micelles to control the size of spherical nanoparticles This makes it possible to determine the various parameters involved in such processes, and demonstrates that nanoparticles can be considered to be efficient nanoreactors However, some discrepancies arise There are few reports concerning the control of particle shape, and it is still rather difficult to determine the key parameters, such as the adsorption of salts and other molecules, and the synthesis procedure Here, we discuss these controls of the size and shape of inorganic nanomaterials

1,032 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The complete synthesis and characterization procedures to generate highly organized and oriented mesoporous titania thin films, using poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based templates are reported.
Abstract: In this paper, we report the complete synthesis and characterization procedures to generate highly organized and oriented mesoporous titania thin films, using poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based templates. Controlled conditions in the deposition, postsynthesis, and thermal treatment steps allow one to tailor the final mesostructure (2D hexagonal, p6m, or 3D cubic, Im3m). Various techniques were used to determine the time evolution of the mesostructure. Spectroscopic techniques (UV/vis, (17)O NMR) and EXAFS/XANES have been used to follow the chemical changes in the Ti(IV) environment. Crossing these techniques spanning all ranges permits a complete description of the chemistry all the way from solution to the mesostructured metal oxide. A critical discussion on all important chemical and processing parameters is provided; the understanding of these features is essential for a rational design and the reproducible construction of mesoporous materials.

851 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a mean-corrected exponential model is used to obtain a martingale in the filtration in which it was originally defined, and the important property of martingales in altered filtrations consistent with the one-dimensional marginal distributions of the level of the process at each future date.
Abstract: Three processes reflecting persistence of volatility are initially formulated by evaluating three Levy processes at a time change given by the integral of a mean-reverting square root process. The model for the mean-reverting time change is then generalized to include non-Gaussian models that are solutions to Ornstein-Uhlenbeck equations driven by one-sided discontinuous Levy processes permitting correlation with the stock. Positive stock price processes are obtained by exponentiating and mean correcting these processes, or alternatively by stochastically exponentiating these processes. The characteristic functions for the log price can be used to yield option prices via the fast Fourier transform. In general mean-corrected exponentiation performs better than employing the stochastic exponential. It is observed that the mean-corrected exponential model is not a martingale in the filtration in which it is originally defined. This leads us to formulate and investigate the important property of martingale marginals where we seek martingales in altered filtrations consistent with the one-dimensional marginal distributions of the level of the process at each future date.

749 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A new class of superparamagnetic nanoparticles bearing negative surface charges show a high affinity for the cell membrane and, as a consequence, are captured by cells with an efficiency three orders of magnitude higher than the widely used dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles.

661 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the structural features of layered manganese dioxides of the Birnessite family were studied using Raman scattering spectroscopy, which is capable of analysing directly the near-neighbour environment of oxygen coordination around menganese and lithium cations.

633 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a set of syndromes (flood regulation, fragmentation, sediment imbalance, neo-arheism, salinization, chemical contamination, acidification, eutrophication and microbial contamination) with their related causes and symptoms are described.
Abstract: Continental aquatic systems from rivers to the coastal zone are considered within two perspectives: (i) as a major link between the atmosphere, pedosphere, biosphere and oceans within the Earth system with its Holocene dynamics, and (ii) as water and aquatic biota resources progressively used and transformed by humans. Human pressures have now reached a state where the continental aquatic systems can no longer be considered as being controlled by only Earth system processes, thus defining a new era, the Anthropocene. Riverine changes, now observed at the global scale, are described through a first set of syndromes (flood regulation, fragmentation, sediment imbalance, neo-arheism, salinization, chemical contamination, acidification, eutrophication and microbial contamination) with their related causes and symptoms. These syndromes have direct influences on water uses, either positive or negative. They also modify some Earth system key functions such as sediment, water, nutrient and carbon balances, greenhouse gas emissions and aquatic biodiversity. Evolution of river syndromes over the past 2000 years is complex: it depends upon the stages of regional human development and on natural conditions, as illustrated here for the chemical contamination syndrome. River damming, eutrophication and generalized decrease of river flow due to irrigation are some of the other global features of river changes. Future management of river systems should also consider these long-term impacts on the Earth system.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors combine modern theoretical calculations with evaluated selected experimental data to produce a comprehensive data resource of K- and L-x-ray transition and absorption edge energies for all of the elements from neon to fermium.
Abstract: The authors combine modern theoretical calculations with evaluated selected experimental data to produce a comprehensive data resource of K- and L-x-ray transition and absorption edge energies for all of the elements from neon to fermium. The theoretical and experimental components of this work are the result of programs of parallel development extending over more than 20 years. At each of several progressively more refined comparisons, it was possible to identify theoretical components whose systematic improvement then led to the next level of refinement in comparisons with an increasingly robust experimental reference data set. We have now reached a certain practical limit in what can be undertaken with reasonable levels of theoretical effort. This limit is not very different from the practical level of accuracy that can be meaningfully associated with the experimental data. For the more prominent diagram lines, experiment and theory are concordant with a zero-centered distribution of residuals whose statistical metrics allow the uncertainties to be estimated. For the light elements $(Zl20)$ and the very heavy elements $(Zg90)$ there are significant difficulties, as is also the case for a few isolated elements and transitions for $20lZl90.$ Overall, the results reported here represent improvements over previously available data compilations not only because of their scope but also because of their attempt to offer internal metrics of the database accuracy. The identified regions of difficulty are areas where further experimental work may be directed to see if there may remain theoretical issues that are still unresolved.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that regulatory T cells specific for recipient-type alloantigens control GVHD while favoring immune reconstitution, suggesting that recipient- type specific Treg's could be preferentially used in the control of GV HD in future clinical trials.
Abstract: CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg's) play a pivotal role in preventing organ-specific autoimmune diseases and in inducing tolerance to allogeneic organ transplants. We and others recently demonstrated that high numbers of Treg's can also modulate graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) if administered in conjunction with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in mice. In a clinical setting, it would be impossible to obtain enough freshly purified Treg's from a single donor to have a therapeutic effect. Thus, we performed regulatory T cell expansion ex vivo by stimulation with allogeneic APCs, which has the additional effect of producing alloantigen-specific regulatory T cells. Here we show that regulatory T cells specific for recipient-type alloantigens control GVHD while favoring immune reconstitution. Irrelevant regulatory T cells only mediate a partial protection from GVHD. Preferential survival of specific regulatory T cells, but not of irrelevant regulatory T cells, was observed in grafted animals. Additionally, the use of specific regulatory T cells was compatible with some form of graft-versus-tumor activity. These data suggest that recipient-type specific Treg's could be preferentially used in the control of GVHD in future clinical trials.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that the underlying selection pressures, which shaped the standards, are the same and it is not the content of the standards that show evidence of convergence ‐ it is the rules or how the authors construct beauty ideals that have universalities across cultures.
Abstract: Current theoretical and empirical findings suggest that mate preferences are mainly cued on visual, vocal and chemical cues that reveal health including developmental health. Beautiful and irresistible features have evolved numerous times in plants and animals due to sexual selection, and such preferences and beauty standards provide evidence for the claim that human beauty and obsession with bodily beauty are mirrored in analogous traits and tendencies throughout the plant and animal kingdoms. Human beauty standards reflect our evolutionary distant and recent past and emphasize the role of health assessment in mate choice as reflected by analyses of the attractiveness of visual characters of the face and the body, but also of vocal and olfactory signals. Although beauty standards may vary between cultures and between times, we show in this review that the underlying selection pressures, which shaped the standards, are the same. Moreover we show that it is not the content of the standards that show evidence of convergence – it is the rules or how we construct beauty ideals that have universalities across cultures. These findings have implications for medical, social and biological sciences.

Journal ArticleDOI
Bernard Aubert1, R. Barate1, D. Boutigny1, J.M. Gaillard1  +580 moreInstitutions (75)
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors observed a narrow state near 2.32 GeV/c(2) in the inclusive D(+)(s)pi(0) invariant mass distribution from e(+)e(-) annihilation data at energies near 10.6 GeV.
Abstract: We have observed a narrow state near 2.32 GeV/c(2) in the inclusive D(+)(s)pi(0) invariant mass distribution from e(+)e(-) annihilation data at energies near 10.6 GeV. The observed width is consistent with the experimental resolution. The small intrinsic width and the quantum numbers of the final state indicate that the decay violates isospin conservation. The state has natural spin-parity and the low mass suggests a J(P)=0(+) assignment. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 91 fb(-1) recorded by the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) storage ring.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the synthesis of block copolymers (BC)-templated mesostructured oxides, stressing in the physical, chemical and processing parameters, which have to be thoroughly controlled to reproducibly obtain mesoporous materials.
Abstract: Block copolymers (BC) are indeed suitable and versatile templates for the creation of mesostructured and mesoporous materials. Great advances have been achieved in the last 3 years. Nowadays, it is possible to obtain highly controlled large-pore and highly stable mesostructured and mesoporous materials (silica, non-silica oxides, carbons,…) shaped as powders, films, monoliths or aerosols. This paper reviews mainly the synthesis of BC-templated mesostructured oxides, stressing in the physical, chemical and processing parameters, which have to be thoroughly controlled to reproducibly obtain mesoporous materials.

Journal ArticleDOI
11 Dec 2003-Nature
TL;DR: It is shown that an increase in R0, even when insufficient to generate an epidemic, nonetheless increases the number of subsequently infected individuals and subsequent disease emergence can increase markedly.
Abstract: It is unclear when, where and how novel pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), monkeypox and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) will cross the barriers that separate their natural reservoirs from human populations and ignite the epidemic spread of novel infectious diseases. New pathogens are believed to emerge from animal reservoirs when ecological changes increase the pathogen's opportunities to enter the human population1 and to generate subsequent human-to-human transmission2. Effective human-to-human transmission requires that the pathogen's basic reproductive number, R0, should exceed one, where R0 is the average number of secondary infections arising from one infected individual in a completely susceptible population3. However, an increase in R0, even when insufficient to generate an epidemic, nonetheless increases the number of subsequently infected individuals. Here we show that, as a consequence of this, the probability of pathogen evolution to R0 > 1 and subsequent disease emergence can increase markedly.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The genome of P. marinus SS120 is one of the two smallest genomes of a photosynthetic organism known to date and lacks many genes that are involved in photosynthesis, DNA repair, solute uptake, intermediary metabolism, motility, phototaxis, and other functions that are conserved among other cyanobacteria.
Abstract: Prochlorococcus marinus, the dominant photosynthetic organism in the ocean, is found in two main ecological forms: high-light-adapted genotypes in the upper part of the water column and low-light-adapted genotypes at the bottom of the illuminated layer. P. marinus SS120, the complete genome sequence reported here, is an extremely low-light-adapted form. The genome of P. marinus SS120 is composed of a single circular chromosome of 1,751,080 bp with an average G+C content of 36.4%. It contains 1,884 predicted protein-coding genes with an average size of 825 bp, a single rRNA operon, and 40 tRNA genes. Together with the 1.66-Mbp genome of P. marinus MED4, the genome of P. marinus SS120 is one of the two smallest genomes of a photosynthetic organism known to date. It lacks many genes that are involved in photosynthesis, DNA repair, solute uptake, intermediary metabolism, motility, phototaxis, and other functions that are conserved among other cyanobacteria. Systems of signal transduction and environmental stress response show a particularly drastic reduction in the number of components, even taking into account the small size of the SS120 genome. In contrast, housekeeping genes, which encode enzymes of amino acid, nucleotide, cofactor, and cell wall biosynthesis, are all present. Because of its remarkable compactness, the genome of P. marinus SS120 might approximate the minimal gene complement of a photosynthetic organism.


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, structural investigations by using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) of silver nanodisks with different sizes are presented.
Abstract: Structural investigations by using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) of silver nanodisks with different sizes are presented The disks have a face centered cubic (fcc) crystal structure and their flat surfaces are (111) Stacking faults parallel to the (111) planes are frequently observed for the nanodisks A unique (111) stacking fault model which is parallel to the flat (111) disk surface has been proposed to explain the observed 1/3{422} forbidden reflections in [111] SAED pattern and the corresponding 3×{422} supperlattice fringes in the [111] HRTEM image It is suggested that the presence of the stacking faults may be the key in the formation and growth of the disk morphology This study may provide an insight to synthetically controlling particle shape and size through defect engineering

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a two-step dipping and UV-irradiation process was performed to evaluate the photocatalyst performance as a function of the dipping time, irradiation time and the dipping solution concentration.
Abstract: Silver-modified, rough, high surface area titanium dioxide thin films resulting via a two-step dipping and UV-irradiation process were examined for their catalytic activity towards photodegradation of methyl orange (MO). Optimization of the photocatalyst’s performance as a function of the dipping time, irradiation time and the dipping solution concentration was performed. The optimum silver nitrate concentration of the dipping solution was found to be 10 −3 M. The modified materials present enhanced photocatalytic efficiency and can decompose the organic pollutant three-times faster than the undoped original films (Degussa P25). A further Ag + -ion concentration increase in dipping solution results a decrease of the films photocatalyst efficiency due to a shading of the available semiconductor surface by the silver layer. This performance is consistent with the unique structural, morphological, and surface characteristics of the composite silver/titania materials. The lower the average particle size, roughness and fractal dimension, the higher the photodegradation percentage and rate constants. The surface doping effect is synergetic to the charge separation process and the photocatalytic results are explained on the basis of a mechanism involving efficient separation of electron–hole pairs induced by silver-ions (Ag + ). Reproducibility tests proved that the photocatalytic activity of the silver-modified films remains intact even after six consecutive experiments of new added pollutant quantities.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the spread of mineral particles over southwestern, western, and central Europe resulting from a strong Saharan dust outbreak in October 2001 was observed at 10 stations of the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET).
Abstract: The spread of mineral particles over southwestern, western, and central Europe resulting from a strong Saharan dust outbreak in October 2001 was observed at 10 stations of the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET). For the first time, an optically dense desert dust plume over Europe was characterized coherently with high vertical resolution on a continental scale. The main layer was located above the boundary layer (above 1-km height above sea level (asl)) up to 3–5-km height, and traces of dust particles reached heights of 7–8 km. The particle optical depth typically ranged from 0.1 to 0.5 above 1-km height asl at the wavelength of 532 nm, and maximum values close to 0.8 were found over northern Germany. The lidar observations are in qualitative agreement with values of optical depth derived from Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data. Ten-day backward trajectories clearly indicated the Sahara as the source region of the particles and revealed that the dust layer observed, e.g., over Belsk, Poland, crossed the EARLINET site Aberystwyth, UK, and southern Scandinavia 24–48 hours before. Lidar-derived particle depolarization ratios, backscatter- and extinction-related Angstrom exponents, and extinction-to-backscatter ratios mainly ranged from 15 to 25%, −0.5 to 0.5, and 40–80 sr, respectively, within the lofted dust plumes. A few atmospheric model calculations are presented showing the dust concentration over Europe. The simulations were found to be consistent with the network observations.

Journal ArticleDOI
04 Apr 2003-Science
TL;DR: It is shown that experimental activation of the immune system is rapidly mirrored in the expression of a carotenoid-based model of sexual selection.
Abstract: A crucial assumption underlying most models of sexual selection is that sexual advertisements honestly reflect the phenotypic and/or genetic quality of their bearers ([1][1]). Here we show that experimental activation of the immune system is rapidly mirrored in the expression of a carotenoid-based

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The molecular modelling study provides some clues for understanding of the antagonist effect of these molecules, while an additional cytotoxic effect due to the vectorised ferrocenyl unit is revealed in some occasions.
Abstract: A series of ferrocene derivatives based upon the structure of the antiestrogenic drug tamoxifen or of its active metabolite hydroxytamoxifen has been prepared and named by analogy ferrocifens and hydroxyferrocifens. This series includes 1-[4-(O(CH(2))(n)NMe(2))phenyl]-1-phenyl-2-ferrocenyl-but-1-ene and 1-[4-(-O(CH(2))(n)NMe(2))phenyl]-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-ferrocenyl-but-1-ene, with n=2, 3, 5 and 8, and 1-[4-(-O(CH(2))(2)NMe(2))phenyl]-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-ferrocenylethene. Most of these molecules have been synthesised by McMurry cross-coupling of the appropriate ketones, except for the ethene complexes, which were prepared by a four-step reaction sequence starting from the ferrocenylacetic acid. All these compounds were obtained as mixtures of Z and E isomers. The isomers were separated in the cases of the ferrocenyl derivatives of tamoxifen and hydroxytamoxifen (n=2). No isomerisation of the Z and E isomers occurred in DMSO after one day, while a 50:50 mixture of the isomers was obtained within one hour in chloroform. The X-ray structure of (E)-1-[4-(-O(CH(2))(2)NMe(2))phenyl]-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-ferrocenyl-but-1-ene has been determined. The relative binding affinity (RBA) values of the hydroxyferrocifens for the estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) was good to moderate, with values decreasing progressively with the length of the basic chain. The RBA values found for the estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) are equal to or slightly less than those found for the alpha form. The lipophilicity of the hydroxyferrocifens are superior to the values found for estradiol and increase with lengthening of the chain. The antiproliferative effects of the four hydroxyferrocifens with n=2, 3, 5 and 8 were studied on four breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, MDA-MB231, RTx6 and TD5) possessing different levels of ERalpha. On MCF7 cells containing high levels of ERalpha, hydroxyferrocifens behave as antiestrogens. At a molarity of 1 microM the effect is close to that of hydroxytamoxifen (used for reference) when n=2 or 5, more marked when n=3, and weaker when n=8. Ferrocene alone has no effect. For the MDA-MB231 cells, classed as a hormone-independent breast cancer cell line, on the other hand, the hydroxyferrocifens show remarkable antiproliferative behaviour while the hydroxytamoxifen is completely inactive. Hydroxyferrocifens therefore show the unique property of being active both on hormone-dependent and on hormone-independent breast cancer cell lines. The molecular modelling study provides some clues for understanding of the antagonist effect of these molecules, while an additional cytotoxic effect due to the vectorised ferrocenyl unit is revealed in some occasions.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The data calculated for SiO2 are used to confirm that no simple correlation between the chemical shift and Cq NMR parameters and Si-O-Si angle exists, emphasizing the importance of predictive theories in this field.
Abstract: 17O NMR parameters, both the chemical shifts and the quadrupolar parameters, are calculated for SiO2 polymorphs using density functional theory with the generalized gradient-corrected PBE functional. The gauge including projector augmented wave (GIPAW) method (Pickard, C. J.; Mauri, F. Phys. Rev. B 2001, 63, 245101) ensures the reproduction of all electron results while using computationally efficient pseudopotentials. The use of plane-waves permits fully converged calculations to be performed on structures containing 144 atoms in the unit cell, without the need to resort to the cluster approximation. The calculated NMR parameters of cristobalite, quartz, coesite, and faujasite are in excellent agreement with experimental data. This demonstrates that density functional theory is able to reproduce with high accuracy the 17O NMR parameters in SiO2 systems. This precision is used to assign the spectrum of the zeolite ferrierite. The data calculated for SiO2 are used to confirm that no simple correlation betw...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors summarized the progress which have been made in this area, often related to new methods of preparation of supports, active phases deposition or activation procedures, and examined the properties of active phases supported on oxides, pure or mixed, basic and acidic supports, zeolites, mesoporous materials, carbon and clays.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In the oceans, the effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere, Te, is the range 2-50 km and is determined mainly by plate and load age, whereas the continents, in contrast, are characterised by Te values of up to 80 km and greater as mentioned in this paper.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The main objective of this work was to compare the structural and chemical characteristics of the isolated fractions and test models describing DOM reactivity toward metal ions, and showed significant structural differences between the three isolated fractions.
Abstract: Humic substances typically constitute 40-60% of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) in surface waters. However, little information is available regarding the metal binding properties of the nonhumic hydrophilic portion of the DOM. In this study, humic and nonhumic DOM samples were isolated from the South Platte River (Colorado, DOC = 2.6 mg x L(-1), SUVA254 = 2.4 L/mg x m) using a two-column array of XAD-8 and XAD-4 resins. The three major isolated fractions of DOM, which accounted for 57% of the bulk DOM,were characterized using a variety of analytical tools. Proton and copper binding properties were studied for each fraction. The main objective of this work was to compare the structural and chemical characteristics of the isolated fractions and test models describing DOM reactivity toward metal ions. The characterization work showed significant structural differences between the three isolated fractions of DOM. The hydrophobic acid fraction (i.e., humic substances isolated from the XAD-8 resin) gave the largest C/H, C/O, and C/N ratios and aromatic carbon content among the three isolated fractions. The transphilic acid (TPHA) fraction ("transphilic" meaning fraction of intermediate polarity isolated from the XAD-4 resin) was found to incorporate the highest proportion of polysaccharides, whereas the transphilic neutral (TPHN) fraction was almost entirely proteinaceous. The gradual increase of the charge with pH for the three DOM fractions is most likely caused by a large distribution of proton affinity constants for the carboxylic groups, as well as a second type of group more generally considered to be phenolic. In the case of the DOM fraction enriched in proteinaceous material (i.e., TPHN fraction), the results showed that the amino groups are responsible for the charge reversal. For low copper concentrations, nitrogen-containing functional groups similar to those of amino acids are likely to be involved in complexation, in agreement with previously published data.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors have identified Sam50, the second essential protein of the mitochondrial outer membrane, which contains a β-barrel domain conserved from bacteria to man and is a subunit of the SAM complex.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This finding prompted us to look carefully at 1D systems containing anisotropic elements, such as cobalt and low-spin iron centers that the authors synthesized recently, and opened the perspective of a potential use of 1D magnetic molecular nanowires for information storage.
Abstract: and opened the perspective of a potential useof 1D magnetic molecular nanowires for information storage.Even though 1D magnetism is a very active area of research,such dynamic behavior was never detected before since it isnot clear how to fulfill experimentally the requirements of aperfect 1D Ising-type chain. This finding prompted us to lookcarefully at 1D systems containing anisotropic elements,suchas cobalt(ii) and low-spin iron(iii) centers that we synthesizedrecently,