Recursive optimal pruning with applications to tree structuredvector quantizers

A pruning algorithm of P.A. Chou et al. (1989) for designing optimal tree structures identifies only those codebooks which lie on the convex hull of the original codebook's operational distortion rate function. The authors introduce a modified version of the original algorithm, which identifies a large number of codebooks having minimum average distortion, under the constraint that, in each step, only modes having no descendents are removed from the tree. All codebooks generated by the original algorithm are also generated by this algorithm. The new algorithm generates a much larger number of codebooks in the middle- and low-rate regions. The additional codebooks permit operation near the codebook's operational distortion rate function without time sharing by choosing from the increased number of available bit rates. Despite the statistical mismatch which occurs when coding data outside the training sequence, these pruned codebooks retain their performance advantage over full search vector quantizers (VQs) for a large range of rates.     

Evidence for the involvement of protein kinase C isoforms in alpha-1 adrenergic activation of phospholipase A2 in FRTL-5 thyroid cells

BACKGROUND: FRTL-5 thyroid cells are a cell line extensively used for the investigation of thyroid functions. Activation of alpha-1 adrenergic receptors stimulates both arachidonic acid (AA) release and cytosolic Ca2+ increase in this cell line. Cytosolic Ca2+ and arachidonic acid are known to be important second messengers regulating a variety of thyroid functions. The generation of these messengers is regulated primarily by two different types of phospholipases, phospholipase C (PLC) and phospholipase A2 (PLA2). METHODS: Norepinephrine (NE, 10 mumol/L) was used as an alpha-1 adrenergic activator, and cytosolic-free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was determined using the fluorescent dye indo-1. Arachidonic acid release was measured as an indicator of PLA2 activation, and protein kinase C (PKC) activity determination and isoforms identification were performed using commercial kits. RESULTS: Norepinephrine increased [Ca2+]i and AA release. Prevention of NE-induced cytosolic Ca2+ influx, either by removal of extracellular Ca2+ or by use of Ca2+ channel blockers, NiCl2 or CoCl2, inhibited AA generation entirely. Inhibition of NE-induced increase in [Ca2+]i by the Ca2+ chelator, 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA), also significantly suppressed NE-induced AA release. Inhibition of PKC activity by PKC inhibitors (H-7 or staurosporine) or downregulation induced by prolonged treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or thyleametoxin (TX) significantly blocked the NE-induced AA release, which indicates PKC is involved in mediating NE-induced AA release. Protein kinase C activity measurement indicated that NE induced an activation of PKC in 5 minutes. To further characterize the role of PKC or Ca2+ in regulation of AA release, we identified PKC isoforms by immunoblotting with specific antibodies against 8 different Protein kinase C isoforms. PKC-alpha, -beta I, -beta II, -gamma, delta, -epsilon, -zeta, and -eta isoforms were identified. Norepinephrine induced translocation of PKC-alpha, -beta I, -beta II, -gamma, -delta, and -epsilon isoforms but not -zeta and -eta from cytosol to membrane. Chelation of intracellular Ca2+, prevention of Ca2+ influx, or prolonged treatment with thymeleatoxin (TX) completely blocked the NE-induced translocation of PKC-alpha. CONCLUSIONS: These results, taken together with data obtained from AA experiments, suggest that PKC plays a critical role in alpha-1 adrenergic receptor mediated PLA2 activation and subsequent AA release. Extracellular Ca2+ influx is a prerequisite for both PKC-alpha translocation and AA release. Whether Ca2+ acts directly upon the PLA2, or via PKC-alpha, to regulate AA generation is an intriguing question that remains to be clarified.     

A kinetic investigation into the removal of carbobenzyloxy group from protected amines via hydrogenolysis reaction

Hydrogenolysis of a carbobenzyloxy group (CBz) was studied utilizing molecular hydrogen in the presence of carbon-supported palladium catalyst. It was demonstrated that the kinetics of the reaction are greatly influenced by the presence of the CO₂ by-product. It was found out that the presence of CO₂ determines whether the reaction is first or zero order since it causes deactivation of the catalyst via inhibition. The effect of potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃) and triethylamine (TEA) as additives was investigated. A considerable solvent effect was also observed that may be explained by the variation of dispersion of the catalyst from one solvent to another.     

Facilities management, building maintenance and modernization link

The widening of interest and scope of property management and maintenance has attracted a greater diversity of professional disciplines into facilities management. Dr Quah, coordinator of CIB W70 on Management, Maintenance and Modernization of Building facilities, expresses her personal views on the current fascination with the subject.     

Fabrication and Optical Properties of Periodic Ag Nano‐Pore and Nano‐Particle Arrays with Controlled Shape and Size over Macroscopic Length Scales

A facile and economical route to preparation of highly ordered sliver pore or particle arrays with controlled pore‐shape and size extended over cm² areas is described. The substrates are prepared at planar and curved surfaces via sphere‐imprinted polymer (PDMS) templating using polystyrene spheres with diameters of 820, 600, or 430 nm. Nano‐pore arrays are created by sputtering 80 nm of Ag directly onto the templates and nano‐particle arrays are prepared by electrode‐less deposition of Ag from Tollen's reagent. The shape of the nano‐pore or particles in the array conformed to that of the imprint of the sphere on the template. Stretching the flexible template enable creation of cuboid shaped nano‐voids and nano‐particles following Ag deposition. Diffuse reflectance from the spherical Ag nano‐cavity arrays showed absorbance maxima at wavelengths comparable similar to the diameter of the templating sphere, whereas reflectance from the cuboid arrays, showed little correlation with the sphere diameter. The cuboid nano‐particle arrays showed the most intense visible absorption which is red‐shifted compared to the spherical arrays. White light diffraction from the arrays, observed by rotating 1 cm² substrates relative to a fixed light source, reflected exactly the symmetry axes of the periodic nano‐features in the arrays demonstrating the remarkable macroscopic order of the periodic structures. Raman spectra of 1‐benzenethiol adsorbed at the arrays indicated SERS enhancements from the substrates are attributed mainly to surface nano‐roughness with only moderate contributions from the periodically corrugated structures. Despite excitation at the major resonance dip in the reflectance spectrum, a weak, localized rim dipole mode is found to elicit a small increase in the SERS enhancement factor for the 430 nm diameter spherical arrays. FDTD studies of nano‐void arrays provided insights into v arious factors affecting the SERS experiment and confirmed the array's plasmonic spectra are dominated by propagating plasmon modes under microscope excitation/collection angles.     

An approach to integrating intelligentdiagnostics and supervision of machine tools

Arguments are presented for the necessity of integrating diagnostics and supervision in technological machines. An example of integrated diagnostics and supervision of the machine tool main drive, based on an expert system and neural network, is shown. Problems of intelligent thermal displacement supervision and questions related to practical supervision of machining centres are presented.     

Development of 1D model for the analysis of heat transport in cylindrical micro combustors

A 1D flame model was developed to analyze the heat transport occurring in the cylindrical micro combustors. The one-step global reaction mechanisms were employed for three fuel–air mixtures (H₂–air, CH₄–air and C₃H₈–air) to account for the difference of fuel property in terms of the kinetics. The effects of various parameters such as the combustor size, fuel property, fuel–air equivalence ratio and unburned mixture temperature on the heat loss ratio (defined as Q_l/Q_in) and the heat recirculation ratio (defined as Q_recir/Q_l) were investigated. The results indicated that these parameters have significant effects on the two ratios, and therefore should be carefully managed in order to achieve efficient and stable combustion. After comparing the results of different fuel–air mixtures, it is concluded that hydrogen is superior to methane and propane as the fuel for micro combustion engines owing to its higher flame temperature and thinner flame thickness, which favors the reduction of heat loss from the flame zone.