L1CAM binds ErbB receptors through Ig-like domains coupling cell adhesion and neuregulin signalling.

During nervous system development different cell-to-cell communication mechanisms operate in parallel guiding migrating neurons and growing axons to generate complex arrays of neural circuits. How such a system works in coordination is not well understood. Cross-regulatory interactions between different signalling pathways and redundancy between them can increase precision and fidelity of guidance systems. Immunoglobulin superfamily proteins of the NCAM and L1 families couple specific substrate recognition and cell adhesion with the activation of receptor tyrosine kinases. Thus it has been shown that L1CAM-mediated cell adhesion promotes the activation of the EGFR (erbB1) from Drosophila to humans. Here we explore the specificity of the molecular interaction between L1CAM and the erbB receptor family. We show that L1CAM binds physically erbB receptors in both heterologous systems and the mammalian developing brain. Different Ig-like domains located in the extracellular part of L1CAM can support this interaction. Interestingly, binding of L1CAM to erbB enhances its response to neuregulins. During development this may synergize with the activation of erbB receptors through L1CAM homophilic interactions, conferring diffusible neuregulins specificity for cells or axons that interact with the substrate through L1CAM

A note on the likelihood and moments of the skew-normal distribution

In this paper an alternative approach to the one in Henze (1986) is proposed for deriving the odd moments of the skew-normal distribution considered in Azzalini (1985). The approach is based on a Pascal type triangle, which seems to greatly simplify moments computation. Moreover, it is shown that the likelihood equation for estimating the asymmetry parameter in such model is generated as orthogonal functions to the sample vector. As a consequence, conditions for a unique solution of the likelihood equation are established, which seem to hold in more general setting

Design, motion-planning, and manufacturing of custom-shaped tools for 5-axis super abrasive machining of a turbomachinary blade like component

Free-form surfaces generated by Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) are evolving to face turbomachinery components requirements, such as turbine blades to enhanced efficiency. Super Abrasive Machining (SAM) is presented as a potential process for high-added value components using custom-shaped tools to be adapted to any surface. The adaptability and flexibility of these tool concepts are specifically designed to fit these complex surfaces. This paper presents an innovative manufacturing approach for blade type components using a custom-shaped tool designed through an optimization process that simultaneously optimizes both the shape of the tool and its motion. The proposed method with SAM finishing using a custom-shaped tool is compared against a standard tool and traditional machining process. The result obtained on the blade test case show that the custom-shaped tools need fewer paths, yet produce more accurate surface finish

Influence of citric acid and water on thermoplastic wheat flour/poly(lactic acid) blends. I: Thermal, mechanical and morphological properties

Wheat flour was plasticized with glycerol and compounded with poly(lactic acid) in a one-step twin-screw extrusion process in the presence of citric acid with or without extra water. The influence of these additives on process parameters and thermal, mechanical and morphological properties of injected samples from the prepared blends, was then studied. Citric acid acted as a compatibilizer by promoting depolymerization of both starch and PLA. For an extrusion without extra water, the amount of citric acid (2 parts for 75 parts of flour, 25 parts of PLA and 15 parts of glycerol) has to be limited to avoid mechanical properties degradation. Water, added during the extrusion, improved the whole process, minimizing PLA depolymerization, favoring starch plasticization by citric acid and thus improving phases repartition

Dynamical Processing of Geophysical Signatures based on SPOT-5 Remote Sensing Imagery

An intelligent post-processing computational paradigm based on the use of dynamical filtering techniques modified to enhance the quality of reconstruction of geophysical signatures based on Spot-5 imagery is proposed. As a matter of particular study, a robust algorithm is reported for the analysis of the dynamic behavior of geophysical indexes extracted from the real-world remotely sensed scenes. The simulation results verify the efficiency of the approach as required for decision support in resources management

Study of scintillation in natural and synthetic quartz and methacrylate

Samples from different materials typically used as optical windows or light guides in scintillation detectors were studied in a very low background environment, at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory, searching for scintillation. A positive result can be confirmed for natural quartz: two distinct scintillation components have been identified, not being excited by an external gamma source. Although similar effect has not been observed neither for synthetic quartz nor for methacrylate, a fast light emission excited by intense gamma flux is evidenced for all the samples in our measurements. These results could affect the use of these materials in low energy applications of scintillation detectors requiring low radioactive background conditions, as they entail a source of background.Comment: Accepted for publication in Optical Material

High intensity linac driver for the SPIRAL-2 project : Design of superconducting 88 MHz quarter wave resonators (beta 0.12), power couplers and cryomodules

ACCInternational audienceA Superconducting Linac Driver, delivering deuterons with energy up to 40 MeV (5 mA) and heavy ions with energy of 14.5 MeV/u (1 mA ), is proposed for the Spiral-2 radioactive beams facility. For the high energy section of the linac, a superconducting 88 MHz Quarter Wave Resonator (beta 0.12) has been designed and the optimisation of RF and mechanical performances will be presented. Based on the present state-of-art of the Superconducting RF technology, maximum electric surface field of 40 MV/m and magnetic surface field of 80 mT, have been adopted which should allow to reach an accelerating field of 7 MV/m (energy gain 3 MeV per resonator). A first complete prototype is under construction. The high intensity deuteron beam specifications have imposed the design of an original power coupler (maximum power 20 KW). The RF, mechanical, and thermal characteristics will be presented. The design of the cryomodule for this high energy section, integrating two QWR with its associated equipments (couplers, tuners, helium tanks), will be presented