Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid protein composition in patients with sarcoidosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a two-dimensional electrophoretic study

We used two-dimensional (2-D) electrophoresis to analyze the protein composition of fluid recovered by bronchoalveolar lavage (BALF) from patients with sarcoidosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, two forms of interstitial lung disease with different cellular composition and cytokine profile in BALF. They are also characterized by different pathogenesis and clinical evolution, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis being less favorable than sarcoidosis due to rapidly progressive pulmonary fibrosis. Thirty-eight proteins or protein fragments, never previously assigned in BALF samples, were identified by various methods including mass fingerprinting of tryptic digests. Comparison of the BALF protein maps of the two groups of patients showed 32 spots with statistically significant disease-related variations in relative abundance. In sarcoidosis we found an increase in the amount of several plasma proteins, while in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis we observed a statistically significant increase in low-molecular-weight proteins, many of which are involved in inflammatory processes (such as MIF and calgranulin) or antioxidant response (such as antioxidant peroxysomal enzyme and thioredoxin peroxidase 2). 2-D electrophoresis allowed us to identify new BALF proteins and to characterize protein composition in patients with sarcoidosis and idiophatic pulmonary fibrosis. Comparison of the gels of the two diseases showed that they differ in BALF protein profiles as they do in type of immune response.     

A facile and mild method for the synthesis of terminal bromofluoroolefins via diethylzinc-promoted Wittig reaction

[reaction: see text] Synthesis of 1-bromo-1-fluoroolefins was achieved in good yields via a Wittig reaction promoted by diethylzinc, even with nonactivated aldehydes and ketones as starting materials.     

First synthesis of 5,6-dihydro-4H-furo[3,2-f]pyrrolo- [1,2-a][1,4]diazepines

The synthetic pathway leading to 5,6-dihydro-4H-furo[3,2-f]pyrrolo[1,2-a][1,4]diazepines is described in four steps starting from α-bromophenones via 2-amino-3-furonitriles.     

Relation between silico-aluminous fly ash and its coal of origin

Fly ashes are typical complex solids which incorporate at the same time intrinsic properties derived from the layers (various mineralogical and dimensional spectra) and major transformations generated during prior processing. To use fly ashes in various applications, it is necessary to characterise them completely. The first research to date carried out on silico-aluminous fly ashes in order to characterise them physically,morphologically, chemically and mineralogically, resulted in the recognition that they are relatively simple materials. In the present study, a silico-aluminous fly ash coming from the power station of Albi (France) was selected. Heat treatment at 450 and 1200 ~C together with coal simulated the treatment undergone by coal in the power station in order to mimic real coal residue. In conclusion, the diversity of the particles contained in fly ash could only be explained by the relation existing between the fly ash and its coal of origin.     

Blowing up: application to $G^2$-continuous 8-sided filling patch

Summary. We propose a method for filling a n-sided hole, , that interpolates n connected boundary curves of a given net of patches. This method allows the joining with patches defined in many different ways. A new class of blowing up pole-functions is introduced in order to build a G-continuous n-sided filling surface. This filling surface is in one piece, image of . Received February 21, 2000 / Revised version received January 2, 2001 / Published online December 18, 2001     

Surface chemical modifications and surface reactivity of nanodiamonds hydrogenated by CVD plasma

The present study focuses on the interaction of hydrogen microwave CVD plasma with nanodiamonds (NDs). Hydrogen treated NDs (H-NDs) were characterized using electron spectroscopies (XPS, AES) without air exposure. A surface temperature higher than 700 °C is needed to remove the oxygen present on raw NDs. The kinetics of oxygen removal were investigated. Moreover, UHV annealings of H-NDs after ageing in ambient air clearly underline that 75% of the oxygen is related to physisorbed species. Finally, H-NDs were efficiently grafted using photochemical reaction with alkenes and a spontaneous coupling of aryldiazonium salts. These results confirm similar electronic surface properties between bulk and nano diamond materials.     

Generation of a mesoporous silica MSU shell onto solid core silica nanoparticles using a simple two-step sol-gel process

Silica core-shell nanoparticles with a MSU shell have been synthesized using several non-ionic poly(ethylene oxide) based surfactants via a two step sol-gel method. The materials exhibit a typical worm-hole pore structure and tunable pore diameters between 2.4 nm and 5.8 nm.     

Synthesis of New Avenalumic Carboxamide Derivatives in the Ferulic Series

A seven-step synthesis of (2E,4E)-5-[4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl]penta-2,4-dienoic acid from ferulic acid was developed. The use of a natural by-product found in rice bran as a raw material provided the ferulic acid vinylogous in an overall high yield. This compound will be useful for the preparation of a wide variety of avenalumic carboxamide derivatives.     

Stimulus-responsive self-assembly: reversible, redox-controlled micellization of polyferrocenylsilane diblock copolymers

In depth studies of the use of electron transfer reactions as a means to control the self-assembly of diblock copolymers with an electroactive metalloblock are reported. Specifically, the redox-triggered self-assembly of a series of polystyrene-block-polyferrocenylsilane (PS-b-PFS) diblock copolymers in dichloromethane solution is described. In the case of the amorphous polystyrene(n)-b-poly(ferrocenylphenylmethylsilane)(m) diblock copolymers (PS(n)-b-PFMPS(m): n = 548, m = 73; n = 71, m = 165; where n and m are the number-averaged degrees of polymerization), spherical micelles with an oxidized PFS core and a PS corona were formed upon oxidation of more than 50% of the ferrocenyl units by [N(C(6)H(4)Br-4)(3)][SbX(6)] (X = Cl, F). Analogous block copolymers containing a poly(ferrocenylethylmethylsilane) (PFEMS) metalloblock, which has a lower glass transition temperature, behaved similarly. However, in contrast, on replacement of the amorphous metallopolymer blocks by semicrystalline poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane) (PFDMS) segments, a change in the observed morphology was detected with the formation of ribbon-like micelles upon oxidation of PS(535)-b-PFDMS(103) above the same threshold value. Again the coronas consisted of fully solvated PS and the core consisted of partially to fully oxidized PFS associated with the counteranions. When oxidation was performed with [N(C(6)H(4)Br-4)(3)][SbF(6)], reduction of the cores of the spherical or ribbon-like micelles with [Co(η-C(5)Me(5))(2)] enabled full recovery of the neutral chains and no significant chain scission was detected.