SNR dependence of mean kurtosis and how to correct it

in Proceedings of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine ... Scientific Meeting and Exhibition. International Society For Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. Scientific Meeting and Exhibition (2013), 21

Bibliothèques média(tisa)trices : le roman chez Charles Sorel et Lenglet Dufresnoy

in Boulerie, Françoise (Ed.) La Médiatisation du littéraire dans l'Europe des XVII et XVIIIe siècles (2013)

PUL inv. G 221 : un fragment de document officiel ?

in Capasso, Mario (Ed.) I papiri dell'Università del Salento (PUL). I. I papiri ieratici e greci (2013)

Psychrophilic enzymes: from folding to function and biotechnology

in Scientifica (2013), 2013(Article ID 512840), 1-28

Up-regulation of 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase as a stress response

in International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology (2013), 45

2-Oxoglutarate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (OGDHC) operates at a metabolic cross-road, mediating Ca2+- and ADP-dependent signals in mitochondria. Here, we test our hypothesis that OGDHC plays a ... [more ▼]

2-Oxoglutarate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (OGDHC) operates at a metabolic cross-road, mediating Ca2+- and ADP-dependent signals in mitochondria. Here, we test our hypothesis that OGDHC plays a major role in the neurotransmitter metabolism and associated stress response. This possibility was assessed using succinyl phosphonate (SP), a highly specific and efficient in vivo inhibitor of OGDHC. Animals exposed to toxicants (SP, ethanol or MnCl2), trauma or acute hypoxia showed intrinsic up-regulation of OGDHC in brain and heart. The known mechanism of the SP action as OGDHC inhibitor pointed to the up-regulation triggered by the enzyme impairment. The animal behavior and skeletal muscle or heart performance were tested to correlate physiology with the OGDHC regulation and associated changes in the glutamate and cellular energy status. The SP-treated animals exhibited interdependent changes in the brain OGDHC activity, glutamate level and cardiac autonomic balance, suggesting the neurotransmitter role of glutamate to be involved in the changed heart performance. Energy insufficiency after OGDHC inhibition was detectable neither in animals up to 25 mg/kg SP, nor in cell culture during 24 h incubation with 0.1 mM SP. However, in animals subjected to acute ethanol intoxication SP did evoke energy deficit, decreasing muscular strength and locomotion and increasing the narcotic sleep duration. This correlated with the SP-induced decrease in NAD(P)H levels of the ethanol-exposed neurons. Thus, we show the existence of natural mechanisms to up-regulate mammalian OGDHC in response to stress, with both the glutamate neurotransmission and energy production potentially involved in the OGDHC impact on physiological performance. [less ▲]

(Bio)synthesis, extraction and purification of garlic derivatives showing therapeutic properties

in Smagghe, Guy; Boeckx, Pascal; Bossier, Peter (Eds.) et al Communications in Agricultural and Applied Biosciences 2013 (2013)

Garlic has been used worldwide for centuries for its taste but also for its health benefits. Garlic's therapeutic compounds are mostly organosulfur compounds, recognized for their antioxidant, anticancer ... [more ▼]

Garlic has been used worldwide for centuries for its taste but also for its health benefits. Garlic's therapeutic compounds are mostly organosulfur compounds, recognized for their antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity and their effect on cardiovascular diseases (reviewed by Block, 2010). When the cloves are crushed, allicin is synthesized as the vacuolar enzyme alliinase meets its substrate, the cytoplasmic alliin. Allicin is unstable and undergoes rearrangements to form three main groups of derivatives: allyl sulfides, ajoenes and vinyldithiins. The garlic processing method has a major influence on the products released both in terms of chemical composition and yields. For example, the type of medium (aqueous or oily) and the temperature can favour the formation of specific compounds. Our work aims at studying the influence of - the garlic origin, - the reaction conditions and - the extraction procedures (solvent, microwaves) on the organosulfur compounds formed. Particular attention is given to the stereochemistry and the stability of the compounds. Better understanding of the formation of high value natural molecules is important in order to lead further studies on the biological activity of the compounds or to use them as nutraceuticals. [less ▲]

Sparse Summarization of Robotic Grasp Data

in IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (2013)

Estimating crop-specific evapotranspiration using remote-sensing imagery at various spatial resolutions for improving crop growth modelling

in International Journal of Remote Sensing (2013)

By governing water transfer between vegetation and atmosphere, evapotranspiration (ET) can have a strong influence on crop yields. An estimation of ET from remote sensing is proposed by the EUMETSAT ... [more ▼]

By governing water transfer between vegetation and atmosphere, evapotranspiration (ET) can have a strong influence on crop yields. An estimation of ET from remote sensing is proposed by the EUMETSAT ‘Satellite Application Facility’ (SAF) on Land Surface Analysis (LSA). This ET product is obtained operationally every 30 min using a simplified SVAT scheme that uses, as input, a combination of remotely sensed data and atmospheric model outputs. The standard operational mode uses other LSA-SAF products coming from SEVIRI imagery (the albedo, the downwelling surface shortwave flux, and the downwelling surface longwave flux), meteorological data, and the ECOCLIMAP database to identify and characterize the land cover. With the overall objective of adapting this ET product to crop growth monitoring necessities, this study focused first on improving the ET product by integrating crop-specific information from high and medium spatial resolution remote-sensing data. A Landsat (30 m)-based crop type classification is used to identify areas where the target crop, winter wheat, is located and where crop-specific Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (250 m) time series of green area index (GAI) can be extracted. The SVAT model was run for 1 year (2007) over a study area covering Belgium and part of France using this supplementary information. Results were compared to those obtained using the standard operational mode. ET results were also compared with ground truth data measured in an eddy covariance station. Furthermore, transpiration and potential transpiration maps were retrieved and compared with those produced using the Crop Growth Monitoring System (CGMS), which is run operationally by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre to produce in-season forecast of major European crops. The potential of using ET obtained from remote sensing to improve crop growth modelling in such a framework is studied and discussed. Finally, the use of the ET product is also explored by integrating it in a simpler modelling approach based on light-use efficiency. The Carnegie–Ames–Stanford Approach (CASA) agroecosystem model was therefore applied to obtain net primary production, dry matter productivity, and crop yield using only LSA-SAF products. The values of yield were compared with those obtained using CGMS, and the dry matter productivity values with those produced at the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO). Results showed the potential of using this simplified remote-sensing method for crop monitoring. [less ▲]

Evaluation de la durabilité des productions porcines en Wallonie : développement d'un outil de modélisation

in 45èmes Journées de la Recherche Porcine (2013)

Garantir la durabilité d’une filière de production implique d’évaluer son impact sur les trois dimensions du développement durable : (1) maîtrise des impacts sur l’environnement, (2) viabilité économique ... [more ▼]

Garantir la durabilité d’une filière de production implique d’évaluer son impact sur les trois dimensions du développement durable : (1) maîtrise des impacts sur l’environnement, (2) viabilité économique, (3) attentes sociétales des éleveurs, des citoyens et des consommateurs. Cette recherche s’inscrit dans le cadre de la révision, par les autorités publiques de Wallonie (Belgique), des critères minimaux permettant la reconnaissance de la qualité différenciée axés sur les 3 piliers de la durabilité. Elle consiste à développer un outil informatique de modélisation mathématique du fonctionnement technico-environnemental de la production porcine et de ses impacts socio-économiques. Le programme est développé dans Matlab. Le modèle s’articule autour des différentes composantes des systèmes de production selon le paradigme orienté-objet. Les nouveaux critères de différenciation qui définiront de nouveaux labels axés sur des attributs de durabilité en constituent les variables motrices : taille de l’exploitation, origine des aliments et des matières premières, logement, indépendance énergétique, effluents, etc. Les impacts sont relevés à chaque étape de production jusqu’à la sortie du porc sur pied de la ferme selon la norme « Analyse de Cycle de Vie » (ACV). L’évaluation environnementale utilise des modèles mécanistiques de flux de composés chimiques, convertis en indicateurs ACV. L’analyse de la dimension sociale s’appuie sur une base de données intégrée, comprenant le temps de travail. Enfin, un modèle économique attestera du dernier volet. L’outil finalisé permettra de prédire les conséquences de choix opérationnels liés aux critères de qualité différenciée au niveau d’une exploitation. [less ▲]

Défendre une victime ou faire jurisprudence à tout prix ? Recours à la justice contre les discriminations en Belgique et en Suède

Scientific conference (2013)