IgM are associated to Sp alpha (CD5 antigen-like)

In 1993, we reported the presence of an IgM-associated peptide (M(r) 44 kDa; pI 5.45) in all immunoglobulin M (IgM) fractions purified from plasma/serum by various methods. This peptide was absent in Ig fractions of non-IgM isotypes. The N-terminal sequence was determined as being APPSGVRLVGGLH. To gain insight into the nature of this peptide, we further analyzed, using modern proteomic tools, the IgM-associated peptide isolated from cryoglobulins. Mass spectrometry revealed three peptides of different masses: 2203.13 (ELGCGAASGTPSGILYEPPAEK), 1564.83 (KPIWLSQMSCSGR), and 1544.77 (EATLQDCPSGPWGK). Theses sequences together with the already known N-terminal sequence allowed us to identity the IgM-associated peptide as Sp alpha (O43866 in TrEMBL database; CD5 antigen-like). Sp alpha is a member of the scavenger receptor cysteine-rich superfamily of proteins. This family includes the T-and B-cell antigens CD5 and CD6, and several of its members influence immune cell fate. Our finding may have important implications in the understanding of the homeostasis of IgM antibodies.     

Using laser-cantilever anemometry under various flow conditions

We present velocity measurements executed with the new laser-cantilever anemometer (LCA) under various flow conditions. Previously, the basic principles and characteristics of the LCA were investigated. Measurements led to results comparable to common measurement techniques for turbulent flows, such as hot-wire anemometry for air and hot-film anemometry for water [1]. Here we present further experiments where the LCA was used in a snow wind tunnel to investigate the behavior of the cantilever under particle impact. In comparison to data collected with a hot-film anemometer under same conditions, the times series of the LCA showed less pronounced impact characteristics than that of the hot-film, i.e. a recovery time that is shorter and easier to identify. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Synthesis and reactivity of pyrrolo[3,2-d][1,3]oxazine-2,4-dione. Access to new pyrrolo[3,2-e][1,4]diazepine-2,5-diones

A convenient synthesis of pyrrolo[3,2-d][1,3]oxazine-2,4-dione 4 is described and its reactivity towards various nucleophiles studied. The regioselective ring opening of anhydride 4 or its N-alkylated analog 25 in the presence of alanine or proline afforded, respectively, imidazolidinedione 22 and N-protected pyrrolo[3,2-e][1,4]diazepines 30 and 31 in a one-pot process. In a last part of this study, an alternative route to produce a library of eight non protected pyrrolo[3,2-e][1,4]diazepine-2,5-diones 35a–h is described to overcome the limited reactivity of anhydride 4.     

Detecting genuine multipartite quantum nonlocality: a simple approach and generalization to arbitrary dimensions

The structure of Bell-type inequalities detecting genuine multipartite nonlocality, and hence detecting genuine multipartite entanglement, is investigated. We first present a simple and intuitive approach to Svetlichny's original inequality, which provides a clear understanding of its structure and of its violation in quantum mechanics. Based on this approach, we then derive a family of Bell-type inequalities for detecting genuine multipartite nonlocality in scenarios involving an arbitrary number of parties and systems of arbitrary dimension. Finally, we discuss the tightness and quantum mechanical violations of these inequalities.     

Suspension polymerization of thermotropic monomer: Formation of droplets or beads

Ordered beads were obtained by the suspension copolymerization of amesogenic methacrylate-based monomer and methacrylic acid. The stability of these particles and the liquid crystal organization inside the particles depend mainly on the time of polymerization and on the crosslinking. Suspended droplets of monomers or polymers can be obtained as well as solid spheres. The solid particles exhibit ordered microstructures with a liquid crystal configuration that has a variable form depending on polymerization time and observation temperature. Bead characteristics such as morphology, size and polydispersity, and porosity are discussed and compared with those of non-mesomorphic beads. The mesomorphic beads are smaller and their porosity lower. The presence of a crosslinker during the polymerization process leads to more mechanically stable particles with retention of polymorphism.     

Applications of random sampling to on-line algorithms in computational geometry

This paper presents a general framework for the design and randomized analysis of geometric algorithms. These algorithms are on-line and the framework provides general bounds for their expected space and time complexities when averaging over all permutations of the input data. The method is general and can be applied to various geometric problems. The power of the technique is illustrated by new efficient on-line algorithms for constructing convex hulls and Voronoi diagrams in any dimension, Voronoi diagrams of line segments in the plane, arrangements of curves in the plane, and others. This work has been supported in part by the ESPRIT Basic Research Action Nr. 3075 (ALCOM).     

Smooth surface reconstruction via natural neighbour interpolation of distance functions

We present an algorithm to reconstruct smooth surfaces of arbitrary topology from unorganised sample points and normals. The method uses natural neighbour interpolation, works in any dimension and accommodates non-uniform samples. The reconstructed surface interpolates the data points and is implicitly represented as the zero set of some pseudo-distance function. It can be meshed so as to satisfy a user-defined error bound, which makes the method especially relevant for small point sets. Experimental results are presented for surfaces in .     

DMSO-PdI2 as a powerful oxidizing couple of alkynes into benzils: one-pot synthesis of nitrogen-containing five- or six-membered heterocycles

PdI₂ in DMSO promoted the oxidation of functionalized diarylalkynes into benzil derivatives in excellent yields. This new oxidation reaction was achieved with short reaction times and low loading of palladium catalyst. This efficient catalytic process has been applied successfully to the one-pot construction of a series of nitrogen-containing heterocycles of biological interest according to a tandem oxidation-nitrogen nucleophiles condensation-cyclization.     

Hyperbranched polyamidoamine as stabilizer for catalytically active nanoparticles in water

Poly(amidoamine) hyperbranched polymers (HYPAM) were successfully used to synthesize platinum nanoparticles of ca. 1.8 nm and to stabilize these particles in water. Furthermore these hyperbranched-stabilized platinum nanoparticles proved to be effective and robust for hydrogenation reaction in water.