University of Orléans

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) can be primed by infectious or non-infectious stimuli and may progress to life-threatening organ failure. An altered balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory response is commonly observed in SIRS, yet the core molecular events driving severe SIRS remain poorly defined. Moreover, the roles of macrophages and autophagy in SIRS have been pointed out. Here a high susceptibility to LPS-induced lethal shock in mice deficient in autophagy in myeloid cells (Atg5f/fLysM-cre+) following a single dose of 0.5 mg/kg (60% mortality vs. 0% in wild type after 24h) was observed. Using a very low dose of LPS (0.1 mg/kg), Atg5f/fLysM-cre+ mice showed rapid tissue injury, notably in the liver and spleen, accompanied by an altered macrophage phenotype. Macrophages in the spleen and the liver appeared swollen and showed a loss of cellular content, including iron. In contrast, hepatocytes in Atg5f/fLysM-cre+ mice accumulated more iron, which was associated with elevated reactive oxygen species levels compared to wild-type mice. Notably, the livers of LPS-treated Atg5f/fLysM-cre+ mice exhibited increased ferroptotic and apoptotic cell death and extensive pyroptosis in both the spleen and liver. Flow cytometric analysis, immunofluorescence, and RNA sequencing supported the marked pro-inflammatory phenotype of macrophages in LPS-treated Atg5f/fLysM-cre+ mice. In conclusion, during LPS-induced inflammation, autophagy deficiency in myeloid cells profoundly alters macrophage phenotype, disrupts iron trafficking, and promotes tissue injury through multiple forms of cell death.

This study explores AIoT solutions to spark innovative retail management concepts. It begins with a review of technology evolution in retail, from barcodes to big data analytics, covering smart retailing, digital transformation, and the integration of IoT, AI, and AIoT. The methodology includes a bibliometric study and qualitative analysis via focus groups, using mind maps and morphological analysis. The bibliometric study identifies eleven research clusters. Focus groups generate ideas highlighting AIoT actions to enhance customer experience and boost operational efficiency. The process suggests parameters for morphological analysis, illustrated with five novel ideas. This tool inspires innovative AIoT-driven retail management ideas. The study also discusses theoretical and managerial contributions, limitations, and future research directions.

We compare traditional zeta potential measurements with a surface-induced quadrupolar relaxation-based approach to characterize the surface electric properties of oxides in aqueous media, particularly at high ionic strengths and solid contents where classical methods fail. Three oxide materials (two TiO2 and one α-alumina) were tested in 1 M NaBr aqueous solutions. Zeta potential measurements are expected to yield reliable isoelectric points (IEP) at moderate solid contents and up to 0.1 M ionic strengths. In contrast, NMR relaxation rate measurements, exploiting surface-induced quadrupolar relaxation (SIQR) of 81Br and 23Na, successfully provided IEP even at 1 M ionic strength and high solid content, although they are usually much more challenging under conditions suitable for conventional zeta potential measurements. Our NMR results correlated well with zeta potential trends at lower concentrations. Notably, TiO2_325 showed only acidic surface behavior, likely due to surface carbonate and/or phosphate groups. Surface acidity constants derived from NMR data allowed IEP estimation consistent with the literature values. This demonstrates that NMR relaxation rate measurements provide a robust alternative to zeta potential experiments under conditions where the latter are unreliable.

Identifying disease-related molecular signatures that can be used as biomarkers is critical for the development of preclinical therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In this study, we focused on the Prp-TDP-43A315T transgenic mouse model of ALS to explore peripheral and central molecular alterations associated with disease progression. Prp-TDP-43A315T transgenic (Tg) and C57BL/6J wild-type mice were monitored from 50 to 400 postnatal days. One cohort assessed phenotypic parameters and MRI activity at 3 timepoints, ie, before (T0), at disease onset (T1), and at end-stage (T2). A second cohort validated findings from the first using omics analyses of tissues to examine ALS-related markers. Tg mice showed reduced body weight, decreased grip strength and tail position, and increased gait impairment at T1. Changes in (p)TDP-43, NRF2, GFAP, and pAMPK expression were noted in brain samples from the second cohort at T1. Metabolomic and lipidomic analyses revealed shifts in specific molecules in the brain and muscle of Tg mice. These data highlight individual differences in ALS pathology and adaptive responses to TDP-43-induced damage. This model provides valuable insights into TDP-43 proteinopathies and presents an innovative method for analyzing pathophysiological pathways through dried blood spot analysis, thereby expanding its applicability across various research fields.

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">In recent years, climate change and geopolitical instability have intensified the focus on sustainable power generation. This shift seeks alternatives that balance environmental impact, cost-effectiveness, and practicality. Specifically, in transportation and power generation, electric motors face challenges against internal combustion engines due to the high cost and mass of batteries required for energy storage. This makes electric solutions less favorable for these sectors. Conversely, internal combustion engines, when properly fueled, offer cost-effectiveness and a quasi-environmentally-neutral option. To address these challenges, researchers have explored e-fuels derived from renewable sources as a carbon-neutral supply for internal combustion engines. Among these, hydrogen is particularly promising. In hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines, 3D-CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) in-cylinder models are crucial. Once validated, these models can speed up the design process. A key challenge in simulating H2 combustion is accurately representing flame thermo-diffusive instabilities in lean mixtures, which are vital for peak engine efficiency. Accurate representation of the combustion process under lean conditions is thus mandatory in 3D-CFD models. This study represents a preliminary effort to incorporate thermo-diffusive instabilities into a 3D-CFD in-cylinder framework. An extensively validated numerical framework was modified to include instability-induced acceleration in flame propagation speed. The outcomes were analyzed and compared with results obtained without the correction term. Although improvements were limited to certain operating conditions, the study underscored the importance of considering the influence of turbulence on instability.</div></div>

This collective work has its origins in the congress of the Société française d’études irlandaises (SOFEIR) held on 17, 18 and 19 March 2022 at the University of Orléans to mark the centenary of the creation of the Irish Free State and the partition of Ireland, in the presence of the ambassador of the Republic of Ireland to France, Niall Burgess, and the Irish Minister of State for Public Health, Frank Feighan.The selection of contribu

We propose an overview of the decentralized reconfiguration language Concerto-D through its Maude formalization. Concerto-D extends the already published Concerto language. Concerto-D improves on two different parameters compared with related work: the decentralized coordination of numerous local reconfiguration plans which avoid a single point of failure when considering unstable networks such as edge computing, or cyber-physical systems (CPS) for instance; and a mechanized formal semantics of the language with Maude which offers guarantees on the executability of the semantics. Throughout the paper, the Concerto-D language and its semantics are exemplified with a reconfiguration extracted from a real case study on a CPS. We rely on the Maude formal specification language, which is based on rewriting logic, and consequently perfectly suited for describing a concurrent model.

Different mixed cultures of extremely thermoacidophilic microorganisms were used for bioleaching of metalliferous industrial dust waste derived from the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking process. Such mixed cultures can extract various metals from multi-metallic BOF-dust waste, improving the metal dissolution and bioleaching performance in frames of metal recycling processes to assist circular economies and waste management. The results of the investigation showed that mixed cultures of thermoacidophilic archaea of the order Sulfolobales (Acidianus spp., Sulfolobus spp., and Metallosphaera sedula) during their growth in laboratory glass bioreactors provided a superior bioleaching system to Acidianus manzaensis alone. Depending on the composition of mixed thermoacidophilic cultures, extraction of various metals from BOF-dust could be achieved. Among the three different types of mixed cultures tested, the mixed culture system of A. manzaensis, A. brierleyi, and S. acidocaldarius was most effective for extraction of major elements (Fe, Ca, Zn, Mn, and Al). The mixed culture of A. manzaensis, A. brierleyi, and M. sedula showed high performance for bioleaching of most of the minor elements (Cu, Ni, Pb, Co, Mo, and Sr). The efficient ability of mixed cultures to colonise the mineral matrix of the metal waste product was observed via scanning electron microscopy, while their metal extraction capacities were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. These investigations will promote the further design of microbial consortia in order to break down the solid matrix and efficiently extract metals from metalliferous waste materials.

Social protection may be regarded as the conduit for governments to end poverty (SDG1) and in turn maintain civil order/peace. However, how social protectionis conceptualized alongside poverty ideology (who/what causes it and whose responsibility it is to relieve it) can negatively impact the development of social protection programs to the extent that they do not meet the social and economic needs of beneficiaries/end-users. Underpinning these views are social and political dynamics that reflect a wide range of sometimes opposing interests and social divisions. Thus, social protection inadvertently risks becoming a conduit to conflict rather than peace. In this paper we report on a living policy lab (LPL) we developed in Cairo (Egypt) to help mitigate this risk. The aim of the LPL was to facilitate dialogue between various stakeholders to support collaboration towards policy-making. First, we present an in-depth review of extant literature, discussing the viability of a ‘living policy lab’ approach to social policy making in MENA countries such as Egypt that are susceptible to conflict. Using Egypt as our focus, we critically outline its evolution of non-targeted to targeted programs and initiatives to alleviate poverty, arguing that they have been reactive and piecemeal rather than thought through (except for the universal health insurance system). We then examine findings from a project in Egypt involving a series of interrelated living policy labs (2018–2019) on social protection reform that involved a range of social actors. The aim was to explore whether, as a design process, the approach might offer an alternative shared power model that facilitates agreed policy priorities and in so doing mediates peace. In this way, we add to the scholarship on social protection by considering to what extent new approaches to policy making in contexts of conflict can support more sustainable and peace-promoting social protection interventions. We end the paper by providing recommendations in terms of research, policy and practice particularly in relation tofuture possibilities for consultative design theory.