Conception de polymères organiques bio-inspirés et organométalliques en vue d'applications photovoltaïques

Beaucoup de recherches sont menées sur les polymères organométalliques et en particulier dans le but d'obtenir des bons matériaux utilisables dans les dispositifs photovoltaïques. Ce mémoire rapporte les derniers avancements de notre groupe de recherche dans ce secteur. Premièrement, la synthèse et la caractérisation de polymères organométalliques conjugués du type (-espaceur-C[xi]C-PtL[indice inférieur 2]-C[xi]C-)[indice inférieur n] avec comme espaceur des quinones diimine para-bis(diphényle) tetrasubstitués (C[indice inférieur 6]H[indice inférieur 4]-N=C[indice inférieur 6]X[indice inférieur 4]=N-C[indice inférieur 6]H[indice inférieur 4] où X = H, F, Cl) et comme ligand L= P(n-Bu)[indice inférieur 3] ont été réalisées. Les espaceurs, les composés modèles, et les polymères ont été caractérisés par RMN [indice supérieur 1]H, [indice supérieur 31]P, UV-vis, IR, ATG, cristallographie, analyse élémentaire et par voltampérométrie cyclique. Les espaceurs et les polymères diamines (C[indice inférieur 6]H[indice inférieur 4]-NH-C[indice inférieur 6]X[indice inférieur 4]-NH-C[indice inférieur 6]H[indice inférieur 4]) ont également été synthétisés et caractérisés afin de comparer le comportement d'un polymère conjugué (quinone diimine) avec un polymère non conjugué (quinone diamine). Les polymères platine-diamine montrent des spectres d'absorption où la bande de plus basse énergie provient d'une transition de type [pi]-[pi]* tandis que les polymères quinone diimines montrent des bandes électroniques provenant de transitions électroniques de type transferts de charge (avec le centre platine comme donneur et quinone diimine comme accepteur). Une analyse de l'influence de l'effet électro-attracteur des différents substituants sur les spectres d'absorption ainsi que les propriétés électrochimiques ont été effectuées pour étudier les mécanismes de transfert de charge du platine vers les espaceurs diimines. Des résultats préliminaires encourageant de conversion d'énergie solaire en énergie électrique, grâce à des cellules de Grätzel, ont été obtenus pour certains de ces composés. Deuxièmement, un nouveau type de polymère organométallique bio-inspiré à base de quinone-diimines et de porphyrines a été synthétisé et caractérisé par RMN [indice supérieur 1]H, UV-vis, IR, ATG, cristallographie, spectroscopie de luminescence et mesures de paramètres photophysiques, et analyse élémentaire. Ces polymères montrent des spectres d'absorptions où la bande de plus basse énergie provient de transitions électroniques du type transfert de charge partant de la métallo-porphyrine vers la quinone diimine (C[indice inférieur 6]H[indice inférieur 4]-N=C[indice inférieur 6]X[indice inférieur 4]=N-C[indice inférieur 6]H[indice inférieur 4] où X = F, Me). Ces absorptions sont extrêmement déplacées vers les grandes longueurs d'onde (> 800 nm) et affichent des coefficients d'extinction molaires très grands (30 000 M[indice supérieur -1] .cm[indice supérieur -1]). Ces composés affichent des très grands rendements quantiques pour des polymères à base de porphyrines. Ces excellentes propriétés font de ces composés une nouvelle classe intéressante de polymères utilisables pour des applications photoniques

Mitochondrial plasticity in brachiopod ( Liothyrella spp.) smooth adductor muscle as a result of season and latitude

Habitat temperature and mitochondrial volume density (Vv(mt,mf)) are negatively correlated in fishes, while seasonal acclimatization may increase Vv(mt,mf) or the surface density of the mitochondrial cristae (Sv(im,mt)). The effect of temperature on invertebrate mitochondria is essentially unknown. A comparison of two articulate brachiopod species, Liothyrella uva collected from Rothera Station, Antarctica in summer 2007, and Liothyrella neozelanica collected from Fiordland, New Zealand in winter 2007 and summer 2008, revealed a higher Vv(mt,mf) in the Antarctic brachiopod. The Sv(im,mt) was, however, significantly lower, indicating the Antarctic brachiopods have more, less reactive mitochondria. L. uva, from the colder environment, had larger adductor muscles in both absolute and relative terms than the temperate L. neozelanica. Furthermore, a seasonal comparison (winter vs. summer) in L. neozelanica showed that the absolute and relative size of the adductor increased in winter, Vv(mt,mf) was unchanged, and Sv(im,mt) was significantly increased. Thus, seasonal acclimatization to the cold resulted in the same number of more reactive mitochondria. L. neozelanica was clearly able to adapt to seasonal changes using a different mechanism, i.e. primarily through regulation of cristae surface area as opposed to mitochondrial volume density. Furthermore, given the evolutionary age of these living fossils (i.e. approximately 550million years), this suggests that mitochondrial plasticity has roots extending far back into evolutionary histor

Thermal reaction norms and the scale of temperature variation: latitudinal vulnerability of intertidal Nacellid limpets to climate change

The thermal reaction norms of 4 closely related intertidal Nacellid limpets, Antarctic (Nacella concinna), New Zealand (Cellana ornata), Australia (C. tramoserica) and Singapore (C. radiata), were compared across environments with different temperature magnitude, variability and predictability, to test their relative vulnerability to different scales of climate warming. Lethal limits were measured alongside a newly developed metric of “duration tenacity”, which was tested at different temperatures to calculate the thermal reaction norm of limpet adductor muscle fatigue. Except in C. tramoserica which had a wide optimum range with two break points, duration tenacity did not follow a typical aerobic capacity curve but was best described by a single break point at an optimum temperature. Thermal reaction norms were shifted to warmer temperatures in warmer environments; the optimum temperature for tenacity (Topt) increased from 1.0°C (N. concinna) to 14.3°C (C. ornata) to 18.0°C (an average for the optimum range of C. tramoserica) to 27.6°C (C. radiata). The temperature limits for duration tenacity of the 4 species were most consistently correlated with both maximum sea surface temperature and summer maximum in situ habitat logger temperature. Tropical C. radiata, which lives in the least variable and most predictable environment, generally had the lowest warming tolerance and thermal safety margin (WT and TSM; respectively the thermal buffer of CTmax and Topt over habitat temperature). However, the two temperate species, C. ornata and C. tramoserica, which live in a variable and seasonally unpredictable microhabitat, had the lowest TSM relative to in situ logger temperature. N. concinna which lives in the most variable, but seasonally predictable microhabitat, generally had the highest TSMs. Intertidal animals live at the highly variable interface between terrestrial and marine biomes and even small changes in the magnitude and predictability of their environment could markedly influence their future distributions

Ultrastructure of pedal muscle as a function of temperature in nacellid limpets

Temperature and mitochondrial plasticity are well studied in fishes, but little is known about this relationship in invertebrates. The effects of habitat temperature on mitochondrial ultrastructure were examined in three con-familial limpets from the Antarctic (Nacella concinna), New Zealand (Cellana ornata), and Singapore (Cellana radiata). The effects of seasonal changes in temperature were also examined in winter and summer C. ornata. Stereological methods showed that limpet pedal myocytes were 1-2 orders of magnitude smaller in diameter (≈3.5μm) than in vertebrates, and that the diameter did not vary as a function of temperature. Mitochondrial volume density (Vv(mt,f)) was approximately 2-4 times higher in N. concinna (0.024) than in the other species (0.01 and 0.006), which were not significantly different from each other. Mitochondrial cristae surface density (Sv(im,mt)) was significantly lower in summer C. ornata (24.1±0.50μm2μm−3) than both winter C. ornata (32.3±0.95μm2μm−3) and N. concinna (34.3±4.43μm2μm−3). The surface area of mitochondrial cristae per unit fibre volume was significantly higher in N. concinna, due largely to the greater mitochondrial volume density. These results and previous studies indicate that mitochondrial proliferation in the cold is a common, but not universal response by different species from different thermal habitats. Seasonal temperature decreases on the other hand, leading preferentially to an increase in cristae surface density. Stereological measures also showed that energetic reserves, i.e. lipid droplets and glycogen in the pedal muscle changed greatly with season and species. This was most likely related to gametogenesis and spawnin

Convergent Fabrication of a Nanoporous Two-Dimensional Carbon Network from an Aldol Condensation on Metal Surfaces

We report a convergent surface polymerization reaction scheme on Au(111), based on a triple aldol condensation, yielding a carbon-rich, covalent nanoporous two-dimensional network. The reaction is not self-poisoning and proceeds up to a full surface coverage. The deposited precursor molecules 1,3,5-tri(4'-acetylphenyl) first form supramolecular assemblies that are converted to the porous covalent network upon heating. The formation and structure of the network and of the intermediate steps are studied with scanning tunneling microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory.Comment: 1 Scheme, 5 Figure

Hematological analysis of the ascidian Botrylloides leachii (Savigny, 1816) during whole-body regeneration

Whole-body regeneration (WBR)—the formation of an entire adult from only a small fragment of its own tissue—is extremely rare among chordates. Exceptionally, in the colonial ascidian Botrylloides leachii (Savigny, 1816) a fully functional adult is formed from their common vascular system after ablation of all adults from the colony in just 10 d, thanks to their high blastogenetic potential. While previous studies have identified key genetic markers and morphological changes, no study has yet focused on the hematological aspects of regeneration despite the major involvement of the remaining vascular system and the contained hemocytes in this process. To dissect this process, we analyzed colony blood flow patterns using time-lapse microscopy to obtain a quantitative description of the velocity, reversal pattern, and average distance traveled by hemocytes. We also observed that flows present during regeneration are powered by temporally and spatially synchronized contractions of the terminal ampullae. In addition, we revised previous studies of B. leachii hematology as well as asexual development using histological sectioning and compared the role played by hemocytes during WBR. We found that regeneration starts with a rapid healing response characterized by hemocyte aggregation and infiltration of immunocytes, followed by increased activity of hemoblasts, recruitment of macrophage-like cells for clearing the tissues of debris, and their subsequent disappearance from the circulation concomitant with the maturation of a single regenerated adult. Overall, we provide a detailed account of the hematological properties of regenerating B. leachii colonies, providing novel lines of inquiry toward the decipherment of regeneration in chordates

GATE : a simulation toolkit for PET and SPECT

Monte Carlo simulation is an essential tool in emission tomography that can assist in the design of new medical imaging devices, the optimization of acquisition protocols, and the development or assessment of image reconstruction algorithms and correction techniques. GATE, the Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission, encapsulates the Geant4 libraries to achieve a modular, versatile, scripted simulation toolkit adapted to the field of nuclear medicine. In particular, GATE allows the description of time-dependent phenomena such as source or detector movement, and source decay kinetics. This feature makes it possible to simulate time curves under realistic acquisition conditions and to test dynamic reconstruction algorithms. A public release of GATE licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License can be downloaded at the address http://www-lphe.epfl.ch/GATE/

Sperm DNA fragmentation: A new guideline for clinicians

Sperm DNA integrity is crucial for fertilization and development of healthy offspring. The spermatozoon undergoes extensive molecular remodeling of its nucleus during later phases of spermatogenesis, which imparts compaction and protects the genetic content. Testicular (defective maturation and abortive apoptosis) and post-testicular (oxidative stress) mechanisms are implicated in the etiology of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF), which affects both natural and assisted reproduction. Several clinical and environmental factors are known to negatively impact sperm DNA integrity. An increasing number of reports emphasizes the direct relationship between sperm DNA damage and male infertility. Currently, several assays are available to assess sperm DNA damage, however, routine assessment of SDF in clinical practice is not recommended by professional organizations

Large-extended 2D supramolecular network of dipoles with parallel arrangement on a Si(111)-B surface

International audienceWe have investigated the self-assembly of a strong dipolar molecule (LDipCC) on the semiconducting Si(111)-B surface with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), density functional theory (DFT) calculations and STM simulations. Although the formation of an extended two-dimensional network was clearly revealed by STM under ultra-high vacuum, the assignment of a specific STM signature to the different terminal groups from the LDipCC molecular unit required a complete analysis by numerical simulations. The overall observed assembly is explained in terms of STM contrasts associated to the molecular structure of LDipCC and to the molecule-surface interactions. To distinguish the relative arrangement of the dipolar molecules within the assembly, a rational combination of experimental results and electronic structure calculations allow us to identify a single adsorbed LDipCC phase in which the molecular dipoles are homogenously arranged into a parallel fashion on the Si(111)-B surface