349 research outputs found

    EGF controls the in vivo developmental potential of a mammary epithelial cell line possessing progenitor properties

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    The bilayered mammary epithelium comprises a luminal layer of secretory cells and a basal layer of myoepithelial cells. Numerous data suggest the existence of self-renewing, pluripotent mammary stem cells; however, their molecular characteristics and differentiation pathways are largely unknown. BC44 mammary epithelial cells in culture, display phenotypic characteristics of basal epithelium, i.e., express basal cytokeratins 5 and 14 and P-cadherin, but no smooth muscle markers. In vivo, after injection into the cleared mammary fat pad, these cells gave rise to bilayered, hollow, alveolus-like structures comprising basal cells expressing cytokeratin 5 and luminal cells positive for cytokeratin 8 and secreting β-casein in a polarized manner into the lumen. The persistent stimulation of EGF receptor signaling pathway in BC44 cells in culture resulted in the loss of the in vivo morphogenetic potential and led to the induction of active MMP2, thereby triggering cell scattering and motility on laminin 5. These data (a) suggest that BC44 cells are capable of asymmetric division for self-renewal and the generation of a differentiated progeny restricted to the luminal lineage; (b) clarify the function of EGF in the control of the BC44 cell phenotypic plasticity; and (c) suggest a role for this phenomenon in the mammary gland development

    Risk assessment of biogas in kitchens

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    International audienceThe health risk associated with human exposure to pollutants while using biogas for cooking was assessed following the methodology described by the US - National Research Council. Information of hazardous compounds and compositions of several biogas types were extracted from scientific literature. Compositions were dependent on the biogas origin (production process). First, a quantitative approach was conducted to identify substances with a high health risk based on their Human Toxicity Values. Then, a subsequent qualitative analysis was performed to complete the health risk assessment based on other toxicology data, effectiveness of purification processes, variability of the waste materials used for biogas generation and, when possible, a comparison with natural gas. The main conclusion of the study was that the injection in the grid of upgraded biogas originating from household and organic waste landfills, did not present an increase of health risks when compared to the domestic use of natural gas

    X-ray diagnostics of dodecane jet in spray A conditions using the new one shot engine (NOSE)

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    [EN] Quantifying liquid mass distribution data in the dense near nozzle area to develop and optimize diesel spray by optical diagnostic is challenging. Optical methods, while providing valuable information, have intrinsic limitations due to the strong scattering of visible light at gas-liquid boundaries. Because of the high density of the droplets near the nozzle, most optical methods are ineffective in this area and prevent the acquisition of reliable quantitative data. X-ray diagnostics offer a solution to this issue, since the main interaction between the fuel and the X-rays is absorption, rather than scattering, thus X-ray technique offers an appealing alternative to optical techniques for studying fuel sprays. Over the last decade, x-ray radiography experiments have demonstrated the ability to perform quantitative measurements in complex sprays. In the present work, an X-ray technique based on X-ray absorption has been conducted to perform measurements in dodecane fuel spray injected from a single-hole nozzle at high injection pressure and high temperature. The working fluid has been doped with DPX 9 containing a Cerium additive, which acts as a contrast agent. The first step of this work was to address the effect of this dopant, which increases the sensitivity of X-ray diagnostics due its strong photon absorption, on the behavior and the physical characteristics of n-dodecane spray. Comparisons of the diffused back illumination images acquired from ndodecane spray with and without DPX 9 under similar operating conditions show several significant differences. The current data show clearly that the liquid penetration length is different when DPX 9 is mixed with dodecane. To address this problem, the dodecane was doped with a several quantities of DPX containing 25% ± 0.5 of Cerium. Experiments show that 1.25% of Ce doesn’t affect the behaviour of spray. Radiography and density measurements at ambient pressure and 60 bars are presented. Spray cone angle around 5° is obtained. The obtained data shows that the result is a compromise between the concentration of dopant for which the physical characteristics of the spray do not change and the visualization of the jet by X-ray for this concentration.This work is supported by ANR Research National Agency (ECN-France project). I.C. is supported by ANR PLANEX ANR-11-EQPX-0036-01.The authors would like to thank Thierry Seguelong for DPX9 supply and Gilles Bruneaux for scientific discussions.Chiboud, I.; Arjouche, H.; Nilaphai, O.; Dozias, S.; Moreau, B.; Hespel, C.; Foucher, F.... (2017). X-ray diagnostics of dodecane jet in spray A conditions using the new one shot engine (NOSE). En Ilass Europe. 28th european conference on Liquid Atomization and Spray Systems. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 755-762. https://doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4705OCS75576

    Rethinking business models for innovation

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    One of the major challenges confronted by those in charge of technological innovation involves anticipating the value creation model sufficiently early on,in a highly uncertain context both as far as the technology itself is concerned and the potential market. Today, in many industrial sectors, the innovation boundaries have moved towards projects that are more and more exploratory and fuzzy. The simple optimisation of linear processes of the "stage-gate" type is no longer sufficient to build sustainable competitive advantages. The notion of Business Models, when applied to innovation, enables us to describe how a company creates value through innovation, generally within a business ecosystem, and how the value will be distributed between the actors involved. The authors of this book believe that the notions of Business Modelling and value creation are key to all the dimensions of successful innovation, whether technology, marketing, organisational or economically based. Rethinking Business Models for Innovation: this title describes the relationship between thinking, modelling, and also field-testing. The book is based on a series of nine recent cases of innovation involving company managers, often assisted by researchers (the co-authors of each chapter), and how they built and formalised their Business Models and then tested their strategies. After having discovered the variety of the cases, the reader will understand that every innovation situation generates specific questions about Business Models. However, we feel that we can identify three key issues that arise, more or less, in each of these projects. The chapters in this book build on these issues: the identification of sources of value and revenue models (the notion of value creation), the position of the company in the value-network or ecosystem (the sharing of value) and finally the evolution of Business MoDdels over time (the sustainability and the competitiveness of the company). The last chapter goes over all the contributions, exploring the notion of value in the Business Model approach.business model ; innovation ; value ; entrepreneurial project

    Marqueurs moléculaires utilisables en sélection chez la canne à sucre : cas de la résistance à la rouille brune

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    Les cultivars modernes de canne à sucre (Saccharum spp., 2n=100 à 130) sont hautement polyploïdes, aneuploïdes et d'origine interspécifique. Un gène majeur (Bru1) conférant la résistance à la rouille brune, causée par le champignon Puccinia melanocephala, a été identifié chez le cultivar R570. Nous avons analysé 380 cultivars modernes et clones en cours de sélection, représentatifs de la diversité mondiale, à l'aide de 22 marqueurs moléculaires regroupés dans un segment de 8,2cM génétiquement lié à Bru1 chez R570. Nos résultats révèlent un fort déséquilibre de liaison dans la région autour de Bru1 et de fortes associations entre la plupart des marqueurs et la résistance à la rouille. Deux marqueurs PCR flanquant le segment portant Bru1 sont complètement associés et sont présents uniquement chez les clones résistants. Ces marqueurs constituent des marqueurs moléculaires diagnostics de Bru1. 86% des 194 clones de canne à sucre résistants possèdent les marqueurs diagnostics de Bru1, révélant que ce gène constitue la principale source de résistance à la rouille brune chez les cultivars modernes. Les marqueurs PCR diagnostics de Bru1 devraient être particulièrement utiles pour identifier des cultivars possédant des sources de résistance alternatives à Bru1 afin de diversifier la base génétique de la résistance à la rouille brune dans les programmes de sélection. (Résumé d'auteur
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