The presence of valine at residue 129 in human prion protein accelerates amyloid formation

The polymorphism at residue 129 of the human PRNP gene modulates disease susceptibility and the clinicopathological phenotypes in human transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. The molecular mechanisms by which the effect of this polymorphism are mediated remain unclear. It has been shown that the folding, dynamics and stability of the physiological, alpha-helix-rich form of recombinant PrP are not affected by codon 129 polymorphism. Consistent with this, we have recently shown that the kinetics of amyloid formation do not differ between protein containing methionine at codon 129 and valine at codon 129 when the reaction is initiated from the a-monomeric PrPC-like state. In contrast, we have shown that the misfolding pathway leading to the formation of beta-sheet-rich, soluble oligomer waS favoured by the presence of methionine, compared with valine, at position 129. In the present work, we examine the effect of this polymorphism on the kinetics of an alternative misfolding pathway, that of amyloid formation using partially folded PrP allelomorphs. We show that the valine 129 allelomorph forms amyloids with a considerably shorter lag phase than the methionine 129 allelomorph both under spontaneous conditions and when seeded with pre-formed amyloid fibres. Taken together, our studies demonstrate that the effect of the codon 129 polymorphism depends on the specific misfolding pathway and on the initial conformation of the protein. The inverse propensities of the two allelomorphs to misfold in vitro through the alternative oligomeric and amyloidogenic pathways could explain some aspects of prion diseases linked to this polymorphism such as age at onset and disease incubation time. (c) 2005 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

A priori and a posteriori analysis of non-conforming finite elements with face penalty for advection-diffusion equations

We analyse a non-conforming finite-element method to approximate advection-diffusion-reaction equations. The method is stabilized by penalizing the jumps of the solution and those of its advective derivative across mesh interfaces. The a priori error analysis leads to (quasi-)optimal estimates in the mesh size (sub-optimal by order ½ in the L2-norm and optimal in the broken graph norm for quasi-uniform meshes) keeping the Péclet number fixed. Then, we investigate a residual a posteriori error estimator for the method. The estimator is semi-robust in the sense that it yields lower and upper bounds of the error which differ by a factor equal at most to the square root of the Péclet number. Finally, to illustrate the theory we present numerical results including adaptively generated meshe

Dynamique des populations microphytobenthiques couplée à leur composition biochimique au sein du réservoir Allal El Fassi (Maroc)

L'étude du métabolisme des populations microphytobenthiques par le biais des principaux constituants cellulaires à savoir les glucides, les protéines et les lipides a été réalisée du mois d'août 1996 au mois de juillet 1997 au sein du réservoir Allal El Fassi, situé sous climat semi-aride.Les résultats issus d'un échantillonnage sur substrats artificiels permettent de montrer que :- la température, l'oxygène, l'azote et le phosphore influencent l'orientation métabolique des populations microphytobenthiques ;- les plus fortes concentrations en glucides, en protéines et en lipides correspondent à des populations estivales ;- les lipides sont susceptibles de fournir une estimation satisfaisante de la biomasse microphytobenthiques ;- le métabolisme du microphytobenthos s'oriente vers la synthèse préférentielle des protéines.Most of the works achieved so far in semi-arid lakes have been focused especially on the dynamics, structure and metabolic of phytoplankton. However, this issue has not been addressed in term of metabolic microphytobenthic cells activity. With an aim increasing the relative scientific knowledge relating to the functioning of lacustrian ecosystems in the Maghreb for which the data are still very fragmentary, special attention has been granted to the study of the microphytobenthos metabolism, by means of determining essential cellular constituents (carbohydrates, proteins and lipids) of the reservoir Allal El Fassi.The Allal El Fassi reservoir is about 47 km of Fez. It was built in 1992, and is 7 km long, 0.7 km wide and 34 m maximum depth. The reservoir is classed as mesotrophic and used for irrigation, recreation and to supply drinking water.The study was conducted between August 1996 and July 1997. Samples were taken vertically from the deepest point of the reservoir by means of a Van-Dorn sampler from seven depths: Near the surface, - 2 m, - 5 m, - 10 m, - 15 m, - 20 m and close to the bottom. The samples were analysed for physical, chemical and metabolism of Diatom. Analysis of Nitrogen and phosphate was done following Golterman method and oxygen dissolved by the Winkler method.Given the advantage that presents the artificial substrata (polyethylene leaves) for sample of periphyton, we have opted for the utilization of these substrata similar to these already used by WATANABE et al. (1988). These substrata are submerged during four weeks at different depths.The evaluation of the microphytobenthic biomass has been carried out according to the method of LOHMAN (1908) after enumerations to the microscope Olympus following the technique of LECLERCQ (1984).The dosage of the carbohydrates has been undertaken according to the method of MOAL et al. (1985), while concentrations of proteins have been determined according to the method of LOWRY (1951) and lipids have been extracted according to the method chloroform/methanol.The results show that microphytobenthic biomass presents important fluctuations since extreme values are respectively 0.25·104 µg·cm-2 and 14.95·104 µg·cm-z.Carbohydrates and lipids concentrations (mean=4.52 µg·cm-z and 2.27 µg·cm-z, respectively) are clearly less high than those of proteins (mean=81.84 µg·cm-2). This result indicates that the metabolism of the microphytobenthos of the Allal El Fassi reservoir is oriented towards the preferential protein synthesis. The vertical distribution of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids concentrations shows a well marked stratification, maximal concentrations generally recorded between 0 and 5 m. These high concentrations are attributed to the development of Niztchia, Navicula, Cymbella, Cyclotella, Melosira and Cocconeis.Proteins and carbohydrates concentrations were significantly correlated (r=0.84, p=0.01 at 0m and r=0.52, p=0.10 at 5 m). On the opposite, concentrations of lipids have no correlation neither with those of proteins, nor with those of the carbohydrates.The correlation between the lipids concentrations and the microphytobenthic biomass, is highly significant (r=0.48, p=0.10). This correlation results notably into the fact that lipids visualise well the evolution of the microphytobenthic biomass. However, no significant correlation was found between proteins, carbohydrates concentrations and biomass microphytobenthic.Many works prove the influences of some environmental factors namely light intensity and the temperature on the biochemical composition of the microphytobenthic. In this way, we observe that in period of high temperature, the synthesis of lipids is important. The positive correlation between temperature and lipids (r=0.48, p=0.10) support the observed increase in the concentrations of this variable with increasing temperature. Nevertheless, no significant correlation was found between proteins and carbohydrates concentrations and temperature, which suggests that the synthesis of these components is made independently from this factor. Oxygen dissolved and nitrogen intervene equally in the synthesis of lipids

Étude préliminaire sur les échanges de phosphore à l'interface eau- sédiment au sein de la retenue d'Al Massira (Maroc)

Les échanges de phosphore à l'interface eau-sédiment ont été étudiés dans la retenue Al Massira. La campagne de prélèvements a été menée pendant la faible oxygénation des eaux profondes au mois d'octobre 1991. Les mesures des échanges de phosphore ont été réalisées in situ en chambre benthique.Les valeurs de pH sont élevées et reflètent clairement l'influence de la nature géologique du bassin versant sur la composition chimique des eaux. Ce bassin versant, formé essentiellement de roches sédimentaires calcaires, est vraisemblablement à l'origine des concentrations élevées en calcium mesurées dans les chambres benthiques.En période de faible oxygénation, on note une augmentation des teneurs en phosphore particulaire dans les eaux surnageantes en raison de la présence de complexes calcium-phosphore, fer-phosphore et manganèse-phosphore. En période d'anoxie, la réduction de ces complexes est accompagnée d'une aug- mentation des teneurs en phosphore.La densité bactérienne et la concentration en phosphore total et notamment en orthophosphates suivent une évolution temporelle comparable. Une fraction non négligeable du phosphore particulaire serait liée aux bactéries.Des mesures drastiques de déphosphatation du tributaire Oum Errbia doivent être prises pour éviter la dissociation des complexes Ca, Fe, Mn-Phosphore et le relargage de phosphore biodisponible.Phosphorus exchange at the sediment-water interface was studied in the Al Massira reservoir. This reservoir, located on the Oum Errbia river, is the most important freshwater resource in Morocco. It provides drinking water to the whole population of Casablanca and contributes to farming and to the functioning of several industrial plants. Our investigations were made in October 1991 and coincided with low oxygen concentrations in the deep layers. The measurements of phosphorus exchange have been made in sitn with a benthic chamber device.The results showed that these exchanges were regulated by a combination ofthe physical chemical variability of the environment and the geological composition of the catchment basin.The pH, which permanently exceeded 7 in Massira, suggests that calcium-bound phosphorus was primarily CaHFO4. Moreover, given the high phosphonrs inputs into the reservoir (570 tonnes. year-1), and despite the fact that, as soon as it reached the reservoir, a large fraction of this element was associated with to calcium, it's likely that the Massira reservoir is subject to eutrophication.In low oxygenated deep layers, we observed an increase in particulate phosphorus concentrations of the overlying water, due to the simultaneous presence of calcium-phosphorus, iron-phosphorus and manganese-phosphorus forms. Under anoxic conditions, the reduction ofthese complexes resulted in an increase of phosphorus concentrations.Bacterial cell numbers and total phosphorus concentratioru showed a comparable temporal behaviour. This would suggest that attached bacteria contributed at least partially to the total particulate phosphoms concentrations.We suggest that a drastic control of phosphorus inputs into the waters must be done through a program of dephosphorylation of tributaries to avoid the dissocation of calcium-, iron-, manganese-bound phosphorus with release upwards of bioavailable phosphorus

Étude du régime alimentaire de deux souches de truite arc-en-ciel marocaine et bulgare dans deux plans d'eau du Moyen-Atlas Amghass I et Amghass II

Le présent travail porte sur l'étude du régime alimentaire de deux souches de truites arc-en-ciel : la souche marocaine issue de croisements de truites arc-en-ciel en provenance d'Europe et d'Amérique du nord et la souche bulgare introduite au Maroc en 1987. Les milieux d'étude sont deux plans d'eau du Moyen-Atlas marocain (Amghass I et Amghass II) présentant des eaux de bonne qualité physique et chimique et une diversité biologique (invertébrés) assez importante. Afin de déterminer les préférences alimentaires de ces deux souches nous avons évalué : le spectre alimentaire, déterminé par les abondances relatives, les coefficients d'occurrence des proies ingérées, l'indice alimentaire de Lauzanne pour les différentes catégories de proies et l'intensité de prédation des truites.Les résultats ont montré une similitude au niveau des régimes alimentaires des deux souches caractérisés par une nette préférence pour les larves et nymphes d'Insectes considérées comme proies essentielles.This current work is about the study of the dietary regime of two species of rainbow trout. The Moroccan kind is a cross breed of the European and North American Rainbow trout and the Bulgarian trout introduced into Morocco since 1987.The environments of study are two stretches of water in the "Moyen-Atlas" (Amghass I and Amghass II), which present water of good physical and chemical quality and are of quite important biological diversity.To determine the dietary preferences of the two species, we evaluated several parameters: the dietary spectrum which is determined by the relative abundance and the coefficient of occurence of ingested prey, the index alimentary of Lauzanne for the different categories of prey and how predatory the trout areThe results have shown a similarity in the level of dietary regimes of the two populations outlined by a clear preference for larvae and nymph insects which are considered to be essential prey

Preparation and characterization of electrolytic alumina deposit on austenitic stainless steel

Conversion coating modified by alumina has been studied as a way for improving the resistance to thermal oxidation of an austenitic stainless steel. Conversion coating, characterized by a particular morphology and strong interfacial adhesion with the substrate, facilitate the electrochemical deposition of ceramic layers and enhance their adhesion to the substrate. The influence of the current density and treatment time on alumina deposit was studied using statistical experimental designs like Doehlert uniform shell design. After heating, coatings present a continuous composition gradient with refractory compounds at the surface. The behavior at high temperature (1000 8C) of the alumina coating was investigated. The presence of alumina increases the oxidation resistance of an austenitic stainless steel at 1000 8C. The morphology and the chemical composition of the deposit are analyzed. Results on the thermal stability of coating on austenitic stainless steel are presented

Adaptive maximum power point tracking using neural networks for a photovoltaic systems according grid

Introduction. This article deals with the optimization of the energy conversion of a grid-connected photovoltaic system. The novelty is to develop an intelligent maximum power point tracking technique using artificial neural network algorithms. Purpose. Intelligent maximum power point tracking technique is developed in order to improve the photovoltaic system performances under the variations of the temperature and irradiation. Methods. This work is to calculate and follow the maximum power point for a photovoltaic system operating according to the artificial intelligence mechanism is and the latter is used an adaptive modified perturbation and observation maximum power point tracking algorithm based on function sign to generate an specify duty cycle applied to DC-DC converter, where we use the feed forward artificial neural network type trained by Levenberg-Marquardt backpropagation. Results. The photovoltaic system that we chose to simulate and apply this intelligent technique on it is a stand-alone photovoltaic system. According to the results obtained from simulation of the photovoltaic system using adaptive modified perturbation and observation – artificial neural network the efficiency and the quality of the production of energy from photovoltaic is increased. Practical value. The proposed algorithm is validated by a dSPACE DS1104 for different operating conditions. All practice results confirm the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm.Вступ. У статті йдеться про оптимізацію перетворення енергії фотоелектричної системи, підключеної до мережі. Новизна полягає у розробці методики інтелектуального відстеження точок максимальної потужності з використанням алгоритмів штучної нейронної мережі. Мета. Методика інтелектуального відстеження точок максимальної потужності розроблена з метою поліпшення характеристик фотоелектричної системи в умовах зміни температури та опромінення. Методи. Робота полягає в обчисленні та відстеженні точки максимальної потужності для фотоелектричної системи, що працює відповідно до механізму штучного інтелекту, і в останній використовується адаптивний модифікований алгоритм збурення та відстеження точок максимальної потужності на основі знаку функції для створення заданого робочого циклу стосовно DC-DC перетворювача, де ми використовуємо штучну нейронну мережу типу «прямої подачі», навчену зворотному розповсюдженню Левенберга-Марквардта. Результати. Фотоелектрична система, яку ми обрали для моделювання та застосування цієї інтелектуальної методики, є автономною фотоелектричною системою. Відповідно до результатів, отриманих при моделюванні фотоелектричної системи з використанням адаптивних модифікованих збурень та спостереження – штучної нейронної мережі, ефективність та якість виробництва енергії з фотоелектричної енергії підвищується. Практична цінність. Запропонований алгоритм перевірено dSPACE DS1104 для різних умов роботи. Усі практичні результати підтверджують ефективність запропонованого нами алгоритму

Passivity voltage based control of the boost power converter used in photovoltaic system

Introduction. This paper presents a robust nonlinear control of the DC-DC boost converter feeding by a photovoltaic system based on the passivity control. The control law design uses the passivity approach. Novelty. The novelty consists in designing a control law for a photovoltaic system using a passivity approach based on energy shaping and associated with damping injection. Purpose. The purpose consists to develop a tool for design and optimize a control law of the photovoltaic system in order to improve its efficiency under some conditions such as the variations of the temperature, the irradiation and the parameters. Also, the control law design should be simple with a lower overshoot and a shorter settling time. Methods. This work uses the port Hamiltonian mathematical approach with minimization of the energy dissipation in boost converter of the photovoltaic system to illustrate the modification of energy and generate a specify duty cycle applied to the converter. Results. The results with MATLAB/SimPowerToolbox® have proven the robustness against parameter variations and effectiveness of the proposed control. Practical value. The experimental results, carried out using a dSPACE DS1104 system, are presented to show the feasibility and the robustness of the proposed control strategy against parameter variations.Вступ. У статті представлено надійне нелінійне керування живленням перетворювача постійного струму, що підвищує, фотоелектричною системою на основі керування пасивністю. У створенні закону управління використовується пасивний підхід. Новизна. Новизна полягає у розробці закону управління фотоелектричною системою з використанням пасивного підходу, заснованого на формуванні енергії та пов'язаного з упорскуванням демпфування. Мета. Мета полягає в тому, щоб розробити інструмент для проектування та оптимізації закону керування фотогальванічною системою для підвищення її ефективності за деяких умов, таких як зміни температури, опромінення та параметрів. Крім того, будова закону управління має бути простою, з меншим перерегулюванням і коротшим часом встановлення. Методи. У роботі використовується математичний підхід Гамільтона до порту з мінімізацією розсіювання енергії у перетворювачі фотоелектричної системи, що підвищує, щоб проілюструвати зміну енергії і створити заданий робочий цикл, що застосовується до перетворювача. Результати. Результати з використанням MATLAB/SimPowerToolbox® довели стійкість до змін параметрів та ефективність запропонованого керування. Практична цінність. Представлені експериментальні результати, отримані з використанням системи dSPACE DS1104, щоб показати здійсненність та стійкість запропонованої стратегії управління при  зміні параметрів