Nucleation of solidification in liquid droplets

Analytical and numerical methods have been developed to analyze the solidification kinetics of a mass of liquid droplets dispersed in a fluid or solid matrix using classical nucleation theory. The resulting analytical expressions and numerical calculations can be compared directly with calorimetric measurements of the droplet solidification exotherms to obtain information about the nucleation mechanism. With increasing contact angle at the solid-liquid-matrix triple point, the solidification onset, peak, and end temperatures and exothermic peak height all decrease sharply and the droplet solidification exotherms become broader. Decreasing either the droplet radius or the number of potential catalytic nucleation sites produces a similar but smaller effect. Distributions in droplet radius, contact angle, and nucleation sites have no effect on the solidification peak temperature, but the droplet solidification exotherms become broader and more symmetric. The solidification onset temperature is independent of cooling rate in the calorimeter, but the solidification peak and end temperatures decrease and the exothermic peak height increases with increasing cooling rate. Predicted droplet solidification exotherms are in excellent agreement with detailed experimental measurements on 10-nm-radius Cd droplets embedded in a solid Al matrix. Analytical predictions give best-fit values of 43 deg and 430 for the contact angle and the number of potential catalytic nucleation sites per droplet, respectively; numerical predictions give best-fit values of 43 deg and 750 for the contact angle and the number of potential catalytic nucleation sites per droplet, respectively.     

Evidence for superantigen involvement in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus aetiology

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease whose onset is believed to be triggered by unknown environmental factors acting on a predisposing genetic background. Islet-infiltrating T (IIT) cells from two IDDM patients, who had died at the onset of the disease from brain swelling as a complication of ketoacidosis, were analysed. The results provided evidence for the involvement of a pancreatic islet cell membrane-bound superantigen as a diabetes aetiopathogenetic factor. There was a selective expansion of a T-cell receptor (TCR) variable segment of the beta-chain (V beta 7) in these IIT cells in association with unselected V alpha-chain segments; extensive junctional diversity of the TCR V beta 7 chains; and evidence of positive selection, after exposure to diabetic islet cell membrane preparations, of V beta 7+ T-cell clones among peripheral blood lymphocytes from non-diabetic individuals.     

Evaluation of factors influencing platelet aggregation in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN)

Platelets (PLT) play an important role in hemostasis, modulation of immunological and inflammatory processes. There is also evidence that PLT takes part in the development of atherosclerosis and glomerulosclerosis. The aim of presented study was to determine morphological and functional changes of platelets and their relation to the lipid, protein and coagulation factors disturbances in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN). The studies were carried out in 60 patients with CGN diagnosed by renal biopsy: 30 patients without nephrotic syndrome (NS)-CGN and 30 patients with NS-CGN+NS. Protein and lipid disturbances, coagulation factors were estimated using routine laboratory methods. Platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV) and modal platelet volume (PLT-Mode) were measured using Technicon H1 hematological autoanalyser. Platelet function was assessed by aggregometry using turbidimetric method (inductors: ADP 1-3 microM, collagen 50g/ml, epinephrine 0.25-5 microM). Spontaneous platelet aggregation (SPA) was measured in platelet rich plasma (PRP) without inductors for 15 min, in 1-2 hours after venesection. SPA was observed in 9 of 30 patients with CGN and in 19 of 30 patients with CGN+NS. MPV and PLT Mode were significantly higher in patient showing SPA compared with those without. Significant correlations between SPA and the concentration of plasma albumin (r = -0,70; p < 0.02) TG and CH-LDL (r = 0,61; p < 0.05) were found in CGN+NS patients. APTT was significantly shorter in patients showing SPA compared with those without and negative significant correlation between SPA and APTT was found. Platelet aggregation to inductors in CGN and CGN+NS patients was diminished compared with control group. Lack of second phase aggregation in response to aggregation inducers was observed in patients with SPA. Conclusions. 1. Platelet hyperaggregation play an important role in hypercoagulation state in CGN patients. 2. SPA in vitro was observed in majority of CGN+NS patients and in some without NS. 3. Pathomechanism of SPA is probably multifactorial (hypoalbuminemia, dyslipidemia, changes in concentration of coagulation parameters).     

Neural networks and blood cell identification

The objective of this project is to propose a method of identifying cells found in human blood and to classify them based upon their morphological features using neural networks. The project focuses on three major blood cell types, namely, erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets. The data are collected using peripheral blood smears from clinical patients. The image acquisition requires 100x magnification on all the blood smears, the preprocessing involves the use of median and edge enhance filters; the feature extraction is done by performing the wavelet transform on the images. Finally classification of the blood cell types is done using ALOPEX and Back Propagation trained neural networks. The efficacy of both networks is then compared by comparing their outputs and number of iterations required to reach the final result.     

Penetrating ocular injuries: an epidemiologic and retrospective study

Penetrating injuries of the eye are an important cause of unilateral visual loss. We studied a series of 82 cases of penetrating injuries treated here from 1987 through 1993. The injuries were caused by sharp objects in 66% and blunt trauma in 6%. The prognosis after a penetrating injury is greatly influenced by the nature of the injury and the extent of the initial drainage. Among factors associated with an unfavorable visual outcome were diminished preoperative visual acuity and scleral wounds with dense vitreous hemorrhage.