Particle-bombardment-mediated DNA vaccination with rotavirus VP4 or VP7 induces high levels of serum rotavirus IgG but fails to protect mice against challenge

We recently reported that epidermal immunization using the PowderJet particle delivery device with plasmid vector pcDNA1/EDIM6 encoding rotavirus VP6 of murine strain EDIM induced high levels of serum rotavirus IgG but failed to protect mice against EDIM infection (Choi, A. H., Knowlton, D. R., McNeal, M. M., and Ward, R. L. (1997) Virology 232, 129-138.). This was extended to determine whether pcDNA1/EDIM4 or pcDNA1/EDIM7, which encode either rotavirus VP4 or VP7, the rotavirus neutralization proteins, could also induce rotavirus-specific antibody responses and if these responses resulted in protection. Titers of rotavirus serum IgG increased with the first dose in mice immunized with pcDNA1/EDIM7, but little or no serum rotavirus IgG was detected in mice immunized with pcDNA1/EDIM4. In vitro assays with these plasmids in rabbit reticulocyte lysates showed that VP4 was expressed but the amount was considerably lower than VP6 or VP7. To improve expression of VP4 and induction of rotavirus-specific humoral responses, the coding region of VP4 was cloned into the high-expression plasmid WRG7054 as a fusion protein containing the 22-amino-acid secretory signal peptide of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) at its N terminus. In vitro expression of tPA::VP4 was significantly higher than unmodified VP4, and mice inoculated with WRG7054/EDIM4 generated high titers of rotavirus IgG. The coding sequence of VP7 without the first 162 nucleotides was also cloned into WRG7054, but no difference was observed between titers of serum rotavirus IgG in mice immunized with this plasmid (WRG7054/EDIM7Delta1-162) and pcDNA1/EDIM7. The rotavirus-specific IgG titers in all immune sera were predominantly IgG1 indicating induction of Th 2-type responses. None of the mice immunized with any of the VP4 or VP7 plasmids developed serum or fecal rotavirus IgA or neutralizing antibody to EDIM. When immunized mice were challenged with EDIM virus, there was no significant reduction in viral shedding relative to unimmunized controls. Therefore epidermal immunization with VP4 or VP7 alone elicited rotavirus IgG responses but did not protect against homologous rotavirus challenge.     

A damage identification technique for CF/EP composite laminates using distributed piezoelectric transducers

In this study, a damage identification approach was developed for carbon fibre/epoxy composite laminates with localized internal delamination. Propagation of the Lamb wave in laminates and its interaction with the delamination were examined. The fundamental symmetric Lamb wave mode, S₀, and the lowest order shear wave mode, S₀^′, were chosen to predict damage location. A real-time active diagnosis system was therefore established. This technique uses distributed piezoelectric transducers to generate and monitor the ultrasonic Lamb wave with narrowband frequency. The two-way switches were employed to minimize the number of transducers. A signal-processing scheme based on the time–frequency spectrographic analysis was utilised to extract useful diagnostic information. Also, an optimal identification method was applied on damage searching procedure to reduce errors and obtain the diagnostic results promptly. Experiments were conducted on [0/−45/45/90]_s CF/EP laminates to verify this diagnosis system. The results obtained show that satisfactory detection accuracy could be achieved.     

Solar/UV-induced photocatalytic degradation of three commercial textile dyes.

The photocatalytic degradation of three commercial textile dyes with different structure has been investigated using TiO(2) (Degussa P25) photocatalyst in aqueous solution under solar irradiation. Experiments were conducted to optimise various parameters viz. amount of catalyst, concentration of dye, pH and solar light intensity. Degradation of all the dyes were examined by using chemical oxygen demand (COD) method. The degradation efficiency of the three dyes is as follows: Reactive Yellow 17(RY17) > Reactive Red 2(RR2) > Reactive Blue 4 (RB4), respectively. The experimental results indicate that TiO(2) (Degussa P25) is the best catalyst in comparison with other commercial photocatalysts such as, TiO(2) (Merck), ZnO, ZrO(2), WO(3) and CdS. Though the UV irradiation can efficiently degrade the dyes, naturally abundant solar irradiation is also very effective in the mineralisation of dyes. The comparison between thin-film coating and aqueous slurry method reveals that slurry method is more efficient than coating but the problems of leaching and the requirement of separation can be avoided by using coating technique. These observations indicate that all the three dyes could be degraded completely at different time intervals. Hence, it may be a viable technique for the safe disposal of textile wastewater into the water streams.     

单模光纤最小群速度色散波长附近的调制不稳定性

利用修正的非线性Ｓｃｈｒｏｄｉｎｇｅｒ方程研究了单模光纤最小群速度色散波长附近的调制不稳定性，发现了一个新的由光纤四色散导致的调制不稳定性区域，该区域的调制范围与初始入射脉冲的功率和四阶色散有关。     

帧中继交换技术

本文论述了帧中继交换的概念、标准，结构、特点网络式样及在互连网中的应用。     

Characterization of the cavity nucleation factor for life prediction under creep-fatigue interaction

It is understood that grain boundary cavitation is one of the detrimental processes for the degradation of materials that reduces the creep-fatigue life at high temperatures. In a previous investigation, a model for life prediction under creep-fatigue conditions was proposed in terms of cavity nucleation and growth. In that model, the cavity nucleation factor (P) was introduced to correlate between the number of cavities and the plastic strain range from which athermal vacancies are generated. It was considered to be a material specific constant which was independent of the experimental conditions. However, in this study, it is found that the cavity nucleation factor is a function of the plastic strain range but is independent of the testing temperature at near 0.5 T _m. In the light of this dependency, a new cavity nucleation factor (P'), is introduced. Using this new cavity nucleation factor (P'), a modified equation for life prediction is proposed, and it is shown that there is good agreement between predicted and experimental lives. Additionally, an interesting approach has been made to find the physical meaning of the new cavity nucleation factor (P'). According to this study, it is suggested that the new cavity nucleation factor, which is regarded as a material specific constant, is found to be strongly related to the density of the grain boundary precipitates with a linear relationship existing between them.     

短模型上的明渠非恒定流试验

水工整体模型试验中,明渠非恒定流至今大多被简化为恒定流,而效果有时并不理想。本文指出,只要设置固定式曲线尾门,并有必要的动态量测设备,便可模拟原型非恒定流;即使模型偏短,也能得出比恒定流试验更接近原型的成果。在同一模型上,既做恒定流试验,又进行必要的非恒定流试验,二者相辅相成,必将有助于试验水平的提高。作为例证,本文介绍了泄洪调度导致航道水面波动的一项试验成果,并以岩基冲刷、通航水流条件、围堰过水、河床冲淤等研究课题为例,讨论了采用“短模型非恒定流试验方式”的必要性与可行性。     

Improved performances of a S-SEED using extremely shallowquantum-wells and asymmetric Fabry-Perot cavity structure

The authors report significantly improved performances of a symmetric self-electrooptic-effect device (S-SEED), with high on-off contrast ratio (>30:l) and large optical bistability loop widths (ΔP=44%) at an applied bias of V_a=0 V, i.e., with no power supply. The S-SEED is made of extremely shallow quantum wells (ESQWs) in an asymmetric Fabry-Perot (AFP) cavity structure. At V_a =5 V ΔP increased by up to 95%, preserving the high contrast ratio. The reflectivity changes at V_a=0 and 5 V were about 15% and 30%, respectively. These are believed to be the largest values ever reported for such structures     

The relation between luminous properties and oxygen content inZnS:TbOF thin-film electroluminescent devices fabricated byradio-frequency magnetron sputtering method

The purpose of this paper is to study the relationship between the oxygen concentration and brightness degradation in ZnS:TbOF green thin-film electroluminescent (EL) devices. The characteristics including crystallinity, optical, and electrical properties were discussed. The brightness-voltage (B-V) measurement results shelved that with higher oxygen-content in ZnS:TbOF phosphor layer, lower brightness was measured. It was consistent with the poor crystallinity, worse photoluminescent intensity, and easier to get moisture in the oxygen-rich (O/Tb>1) phosphor film. Furthermore, deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements identified that when the O/Tb ratio was greater than 1, the oxygen-related deep hole traps E_H1 and/or E_H2 could be detected in the ZnS:TbOF phosphor layer. These E _H1 and/or E_H2 traps were believed to be the main killers for the brightness of the device since they capture most of the holes from the generated electron-hole pairs. This evidence strongly supports that the modified energy transfer model is more dominant than direct impact excitation during the luminescent process     

In-laboratory removal of femoral sheath following protamine administration in patients having intracoronary stent implantation

Two hundred twenty-eight patients with successful coronary stent implantation were randomized either to protamine administration and femoral sheath removal (group I, n = 117) or no heparin neutralization and delayed sheath removal (group II, n = 111). The hospital stay after treatment was shorter in patients receiving protamine; therefore, protamine use for neutralizing circulating heparin may be safely administered immediately after stent implantation.