3D magnetization profile and multi-axes exchange bias in Co antidot arrays

Cu/Co/Cu trilayers have been deposited on nanoporous alumina membranes. Magnetic properties of the resulting Co antidot arrays are investigated using SQUID magnetometry. Hysteresis loops of these arrays show two-step magnetization reversal. In addition, exchange bias is observed, whether the cooling field is applied within or perpendicular to the surface plane. In the former case, the exchange bias changes sign close to the blocking temperature, and becomes positive. We attribute these effects to the local, crescent shape of the Co films, induced by the surface morphology of the alumina membranes. This morphology leads to a three-dimensional magnetization distribution at the nanoscale.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figure

Reduction of magnetostatic interactions in self-organized arrays of nickel nanowires using atomic layer deposition

Ordered arrays of magnetic nanowires are commonly synthesized by electrodeposition in nanoporous alumina templates. Due to their dense packing, strong magnetostatic interactions prevent the manipulation of wires individually. Using atomic layer deposition we reduce the diameter of the pores prior to electrodeposition. This reduces magnetostatic interactions, yielding fully remanent hysteresis loops. This is a first step towards the use of such arrays for magnetic racetrack memories

Hyperammonemia-induced toxicity for the developing central nervous system

In pediatric patients, hyperammonemia can be caused by various acquired or inherited disorders such as urea cycle deficiencies or organic acidemias. The brain is much more susceptible to the deleterious effects of ammonium during development than in adulthood. Hyperammonemia can provoke irreversible damages to the developing central nervous system that lead to cortical atrophy, ventricular enlargement and demyelination, responsible for cognitive impairment, seizures and cerebral palsy. Until recently, the mechanisms leading to these irreversible cerebral damages were poorly understood. Using experimental models allowing the analysis of the neurotoxic effects of ammonium on the developing brain, these last years have seen the emergence of new clues showing that ammonium exposure alters several amino acid pathways and neurotransmitter systems, as well as cerebral energy metabolism, nitric oxide synthesis, oxidative stress, mitochondrial permeability transition and signal transduction pathways. Those alterations may explain neuronal loss and impairment of axonal and dendritic growth observed in the different models of congenital hyperammonemia. Some neuroprotective strategies such as the potential use of NMDA receptor antagonists, nitric oxide inhibitors, creatine and acetyl-l-carnitine have been suggested to counteract these toxic effects. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms involved in the chain of events leading to neuronal dysfunction under hyperammonemia may be useful to develop new potential strategies for neuroprotection

CNTF protects oligodendrocytes from ammonia toxicity: intracellular signaling pathways involved.

In pediatric patients, hyperammonemia can provoke irreversible damages to developing CNS like cortical atrophy, ventricular enlargement, demyelination or gray and white matter hypodensities which are concordant with alterations of neurons and oligodendrocytes. Cerebral injury triggers endogenous protective mechanisms that can prevent or limit brain damage. Understanding these mechanisms may lead to new therapeutic strategies. We investigated whether ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), a cytokine-like protein expressed by astrocytes and described as an injury-associated survival factor, was up-regulated by ammonia in developing reaggregated 3D brain cell cultures. We showed that CNTF is up-regulated by ammonia exposure, through mediation of p38 MAPK activation in astrocytes. We also observed that SAPK/JNK and Erk1/2 activations in oligodendrocytes and neurons, respectively, also play indirect roles in CNTF synthesis by astrocytes. Co-treatment with exogenous CNTF demonstrated strong protective effects on oligodendrocytes, but not on neurons, against ammonia toxicity. These protective effects involved JAK/STAT, SAPK/JNK and c-jun proteins

Role of caspases, calpain and cdk5 in ammonia-induced cell death in developing brain cells.

Hyperammonemia in neonates and infants causes irreversible damages in the developing CNS due to brain cell loss. Elucidating the mechanisms triggering ammonia-induced cell death in CNS is necessary for the development of neuroprotective strategies. We used reaggregated developing brain cell cultures derived from fetal rat telencephalon exposed to ammonia as an experimental model. Ammonia induced neuronal and oligodendroglial death, triggered apoptosis and activated caspases and calpain. Probably due to calpain activation, ammonia caused the cleavage of the cyclin-dependent kinase 5 activator, p35, to p25, the cdk5/p25 complex being known to lead to neurodegeneration. Roscovitine, a cdk5 inhibitor, protected neurons from ammonia-induced cell death. However, roscovitine also impaired axonal growth, probably through inhibition of the remaining cdk5/p35 activity, which is involved in neurite outgrowth. Thus, cdk5 appears as a promising therapeutic target for treating hyperammonemic newborns and infants, especially if one develops specific cdk5/p25 inhibitors

Study of spacecraft transponder power amplifier Final report

Communications satellite wideband transponder feasibility study with direct RF to RF CONVERSION and TWT in re-entrant mod

Ordered arrays of magnetic nanowires investigated by polarized small-angle neutron scattering

Polarized small-angle neutron scattering (PSANS) experimental results obtained on arrays of ferromagnetic Co nanowires ($\phi\approx13$ nm) embedded in self-organized alumina (Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$) porous matrices are reported. The triangular array of aligned nanowires is investigated as a function of the external magnetic field with a view to determine experimentally the real space magnetization $\vec{M}(\vec{r})$ distribution inside the material during the magnetic hysteresis cycle. The observation of field-dependentSANSintensities allows us to characterize the influence of magnetostatic fields. The PSANS experimental data are compared to magnetostatic simulations. These results evidence that PSANS is a technique able to address real-space magnetization distributions in nanostructured magnetic systems. We show that beyond structural information (shape of the objects, two-dimensional organization) already accessible with nonpolarized SANS, using polarized neutrons as the incident beam provides information on the magnetic form factor and stray fields \textgreek{m}0Hd distribution in between nanowires.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Du français de scolarisation à la variation stylistique Expérimentation dans une classe plurilingue de CP-CE1

Avec ses huit langues, cette expérimentation, issue d’un stage réalisé au CASNAV de Grenoble, concerne une classe ordinaire dite « plurilingue » de CP-CE1. Une première phase d’observation critique de la classe interpelle la langue de scolarisation à partir des rapports ambigus de l’oral et l’écrit et d’une norme prescriptive qui trie et hiérarchise les formes linguistiques de la classe. Ces constats s’ouvrent sur un recadrage théorique issu de la sociolinguistique et de l’anthropologie. Il importe de réfléchir à de nouvelles pistes pour l’apprentissage du français scolaire. Ces pistes s’ouvrent non plus sur des cibles lexicales et syntaxiques fixes, acquises par imprégnation, mais sur le développement d’une forme de souplesse stylistique qui concerne l’ensemble du répertoire verbal des élèves. Un éclairage critique des registres/niveaux de langue et une démarche qui s’inspire de l’éveil aux langues, tout en tentant d’y intégrer une composante intra-langue qui en est absente, proposent alors d’aborder la « compétence d’adaptation » comme une composante essentielle de la « compétence de communication » et de la « compétence plurilingue ». Les ateliers explorent ainsi la variation stylistique en interrogeant les langues d’héritage des élèves, une activité qui permet de produire un album bistyle et multilingue

Influence des variations thermo-hydro-mécaniques sur le comportement différé du béton

Dans le cadre du projet Cigéo, initié par l'Andra, pour le stockage des déchets radioactifs à Moyenne Activité et à Vie Longue (MA-VL) en couche profonde, l'étude expérimentale du comportement de Bétons à Hautes Performances (BHP) sous sollicitations Thermo-Hydro-Mécaniques (THM) variables dans le temps (température inférieure à 70°C) est nécessaire pour être en mesure de prédire la réponse mécanique des ouvrages à long terme. L'étude est scindée en trois phases qui ciblent les effets des différents couplages Thermo-Hydro-Mécaniques. Tout d'abord, les déformations thermiques libres, couplées ou non avec de la dessiccation, des constituants du béton (agrégats et pâte de ciment hydratée) et du béton lui-même ont été mesurées et analysées pour différents degrés de saturation, afin notamment de comprendre l'origine de l'endommagement thermique. Dans un second temps, une étude des comportements différés, retrait et fluage, d'un BHP à 20°C et à Humidité Relative variable (entre 100% et 50% HR) a été menée afin d'estimer les évolutions des déformations à long terme de ces bétons lorsqu'ils sont soumis à des cycles de séchage et de reprises d'eau sous charge. La dernière phase de ce travail de recherche concerne l'étude du BHP soumis à des variations Thermo-Hydro-Mécaniques plus complexes, tel que le fluage thermique transitoire, afin d'analyser les divers autres couplages pour des températures modérées (jusqu'à 70°C). Les données expérimentales originales acquises ont permis de mieux comprendre les phénomènes et les couplages qui régissent le retrait et le fluage des BHP, et de les intégrer dans un modèle THM de fluage.Within the framework of the Cigéo project, introduced by Andra, for the future storage of the Intermediate-Level (ILW) radioactive waste underground, the experimental study of High Performance Concretes (HPC) under non-standard Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical (THM) solicitations is really important to be able to predict the long-term mechanical behaviour of structures. The study is divided in three parts and its purpose focus on THM couplings effects. First of all, the free thermal deformation coupled or not with desiccation of the constituents of concrete (aggregates and cement paste) and concrete were measured and analyzed for various degrees of saturation in order to understand the origin of the possible thermal damage. Secondly, the study of delayed deformations, shrinkage and creep, of a HPC at 20°C and under variable Relative Humidity (between 100% and 50% RH) was led to estimate the evolutions of the long-term deformations of these concretes when they are subjected to drying and rehumidification cycles under load. The last phase of this research concerns the study of the HPC subjected to more complex THM solicitations, such as transient thermal deformation, to analyze the other coupling effects at moderate temperatures (until 70°C). The experimental results allowed to improve the understanding of the phenomena and the couplings which govern shrinkage and creep of HPC and to integrate them into a THM model