Conversion of acrylonitrile-based precursors to carbon fibres

The progress of stabilization of two compositions of acrylic fibres with various orientations has been followed by a variety of techniques. The thermooxidative treatments for stabilization have been carried out in a continuous process and also in a batch process under free shrinkage, constant length and constant tension conditions. The morphological model of acrylic fibres consists of an alternating sequence of laterally ordered and laterally disordered regions along the fibre direction. This structure is consistent with the observations based on small-angle X-ray scattering of copper- impregnated precursor fibres and thermomechanical response, thermal stress development, calorimetry, wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering and sonic modu-lus measured at different extents of stabilization. Lateral as well as orientational order in these fibres can be increased markedly through a high-temperature deformation process prior to stabilization. An increase in perfection and extent of order is observed in the early stages of stabilization. There is also a simultaneous decrease in the orientation of the disordered phase at this stage and the extent of this decrease depends on the axial constraints imposed on the fibre. Little difference in the rate of stabilization is observed as measured by density or oxygen uptake for fibres with different extents of orientation, lateral order or restraint. Fibres containing itaconic add, a stabilization catalyst did show an increased rate of stabilization. Inferences have been drawn regarding additional research pertaining to achieving high order in precursor fibres, minimizing orientational relaxation during oxidative stabilization, and the techniques for monitoring the extents of the stabilization treatment and the changes in relevant morphological parameters.     

Optimized hydrogen positions for aluminium and iron containing hydroxide minerals

The structures of a number of hydroxide and oxyhydroxide minerals have previously been reported without the hydrogen positions explicitly defined. Here we use two atomic scale computer simulation techniques, one based on classical ionic potentials, the other on density functional theory (DFT), to predict these positions. The aim is not only to provide data that can be used as the basis for future experimental structure optimizations but also model parameters that can be used to predict complex hydroxide structures. The efficacy of the approach is demonstrated through the comparison of predicted and experimental data for minerals whose hydrogen positions are known.     

Spotlight mode SAR stereo technique for height computation

This paper examines the feasibility of extracting three-dimensional (3-D) or topographic information in spotlight mode stereo synthetic aperture radar (SAR). A display of a SAR (intensity) image has two axes: range and cross-range. Elevated scatterers appear closer in range; this phenomenon is called radar image layover. How the height of each scatterer can be computed from the difference in its layover between two images is investigated. This is analogous to computing height from disparity distance (triangulation) in optical stereo. The same procedure can be applied on pixel by pixel basis for terrain elevation mapping. A general expression is derived for the accuracy of the height estimate as a function of the range resolution and the angular difference between the image planes. Accuracy increases as the angle between the image planes increases, but the bright scatterers in one image tend to fade in the other image. This limited angular persistence of radar scatterers is also discussed. Trajectories for data collection are examined that provide near-optimal height estimates while eliminating the scatterer persistency problem.     

Inference and retrieval of facial images

Attempts have been made to extend SQL to work with multimedia databases. We are reserved on the representation ability of extended SQL to cope with the richness in content of multimedia data. In this paper we present an example of a multimedia database system, Computer Aided Facial Image Inference and Retrieval system (CAFIIR). The system stores and manages facial images and criminal records, providing necessary functions for crime identification. We would like to demonstrate some core techniques for multimedia database with CAFIIR system. Firstly, CAFIIR is a integrated system. Besides database management, there are image analysis, image composition, image aging, and report generation subsystems, providing means for problem solving. Secondly, the richness of multimedia data urges feature-based database for their management. CAFIIR is feature-based. A indexing mechanism,iconic index, has been proposed for indexing facial images using hierarchical self-organization neural network. The indexing method operates on complex feature measures and provides means for visual navigation. Thirdly, special retrieval methods for facial images have been developed, including visual browsing, similarity retrieval, free text retrieval and fuzzy retrieval.     

Proteins and cells on PEG immobilized silicon surfaces

Functional adhesion of blood and marrow leukemic cells from 14 acute myeloid leukemia patients presenting with hyperleukocytosis was evaluated by performing cytoadhesion assays on purified (extracellular matrix proteins) and non-purified supports (MRC5 fibroblastic cell line). Results, in 30-min chromium release assay, show a mean +/- S.D. adhesion to fibronectin, collagen, and laminin respectively of 30 +/- 17%, 20 +/- 13%, 25 +/- 17% for blood leukemic cells and 18 +/- 11%, 11 +/- 10%, 11 +/- 8% for marrow leukemic cells. These differences between blood and marrow cells were statistically significant (respectively P = 0.005, P = 0.01 and P = 0.002), while no difference was noted regarding adhesion to non-purified supports. The higher adhesion of blood blast cells to purified supports was observed regardless of CD34 expression. No significant difference was observed in the expression of cell surface VLA-molecules (CD29, CD49b, CD49d, CD49e, CD49f) between blood and marrow blast cells. The addition of GM-CSF or G-CSF induced increased adhesion of marrow blasts and decreased adhesion of blood blasts leading to a loss of the difference between blood and marrow cells. In a 60-min chromium release assay, marrow blasts adhered even more than blood leukemic cells to fibronectin. In contrast, marrow blasts from 'aleukemic' acute myeloid leukemia patients did not show any modification regarding their adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins when co-cultured with growth factors.     

Evaluation of the recombinant 38-kilodalton antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a potential immunodiagnostic reagent

The diagnosis of infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is of increased public health concern following increases in the number of cases in developed countries and major increases in developing countries associated with the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The specificity of purified protein derivative skin testing for the detection of infection is compromised by exposure to environmental mycobacteria. Examination of sputum detects the most infectious patients, but not those with extrapulmonary disease. The 38-kDa antigen of M. tuberculosis contains two M. tuberculosis-specific B-cell epitopes. We overexpressed the gene for this antigen in Escherichia coli and evaluated the recombinant product in in vitro assays of T-cell function and as a target for the antibody response in humans. The sensitivity and specificity of the antigen as a skin test reagent were also assessed in outbred guinea pigs. We found that 69% of healthy sensitized humans recognize the antigen in vitro, as manifested by both cell proliferation and the production of gamma interferon. Untreated patients initially have a lower frequency of response (38%); this recovers to 72% during therapy. A total of 292 patients (20 with HIV coinfection) and 58 controls were examined for production of antibody to the 38-kDa antigen by using a commercially available kit. The sensitivity of the test in comparison with that of culture was 72.6%, and the specificity was 94.9%. The antigen was also tested for its ability to induce skin reactions in outbred guinea pigs sensitized by various mycobacterial species. The antigen provoked significant skin reactions in M. tuberculosis-, M. bovis BCG-, and M. intracellulare-sensitized animals. The significance of these findings and the usefulness of this antigen in immunodiagnosis are discussed.     

Molecular interactions between the HSV-1 capsid proteins as measured by the yeast two-hybrid system

HSV-1 B capsids are composed of seven major proteins, designated VP5, VP19C, 21, 22a, VP23, VP24, and VP26. VP indicates that the capsid protein is also a component of the infectious virion. Capsid proteins 21, 22a, and VP24 are specified by a single open reading frame (UL26) that encodes 635 amino acids. An objective of the work in our laboratory is to identify and map interactions among and between capsid proteins. In the present studies we employed the yeast GAL4 two-hybrid system developed by Fields and his colleagues (Nature 240, 245-246 (1989)) for this purpose. DNA corresponding to the capsid open reading frames was derived as a PCR product and fused to sequences of the GAL4 activation and DNA binding domains. Using this system each of the capsid proteins has been tested for interactions with all of the other capsid proteins. Three interactions have been identified: a relatively strong self-interaction between 22a molecules (residues 307-635 of UL26), bimolecular interactions between 22a and VP5, and another between VP19C and VP23. The interactions were detected by the expression of beta-galactosidase enzyme activity, and yielded 289, 86, and 63 units of enzyme activity, respectively. For the 22a self-interaction, elimination of residues 611-635 resulted in an approximately twofold decrease in enzyme activity. The C-terminal 25 amino acids of 22a were also essential for the bimolecular interaction between 22a and VP5.