Arabinogalactan as a carrier for contrast agent in magnetic resonance imaging

Arabinogalactan-Gd-DTPA was synthesized by the reaction of diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid (DTPA) bisanhydride with polysaccharide in dry DMSO and characterized by FTIR, elemental analysis and ICP-AES. Its stability was investigated by competition with Ca2+, EDTA, DTPA. The t(1)-relaxivity is 8.06 mmol(-1) . L . s(-1) in D2O, 8.48 mmol(-1) . L . s(-1) in 0.725 mmol . L-1 BSA, respectively. t(1)-weighted MR imaging of rat kidney and liver showed a remarkable enhancement post injection of Arabinogalactan-Gd-DTPA. The results indicate that the arabinogalactan-Gd-DTPA is a potential contrast agent for MRI.

An evaluation of gadolinium polyoxornetalates as possible MRI contrast agent

Two gadolinium polyoxometalates, K9GdW10O36 and K-11 [Gd(PW11O39)(2)], have been evaluated both in vivo and in vitro as candidates for tissue-specific MRI contrast agents. T-1-relaxivities of 6.89 mM(-1) . s(-1) for K9GdW10O36 and 5.27 mM(-1) . s(-1) for K-11[Gd(PW11O39)(2)] are slightly higher than that of the commercial MRI contrast agent (Gd-DTPA). Both compounds bind with bovine serum albumin and human serum transferrin and favorable liver-specific contrast enhancement in in vivo MRI with Sprague-Dawley rats after i.v. administration has been demonstrated. Imaging studies demonstrate that the two agents have a long residence time, showing MR signal enhancement in the liver for more than 40 min, longer than commercially available contrast agents. In vivo and in vitro assays showed that GdW10 and Gd(PW11)(2) are promising liver-specific MRI contrast agents and GdW10 may be used in the diagnosis of the pathological state. However, with the higher acute toxicity, the two gadolinium polyoxometalates need to be modified and studied further before clinical use.

The chemical resolution of racemic cis-2-hydroxymethyl-5(cytosine-1 '-yl)-1,3-oxathiolane (BCH-189)-one direct method to obtain lamivudine as anti-HIV and anti-HBV agent

Racemic cis-BCH-189 can be resolved to (-)-enantiomer (lamivudine) and (+)-enantiomer by esterification of cis-2-hydroxymethyl-5-(N-4(')-acetylcytosine-1'-yl)-1,3-oxathiolane and (+)-menthyl chloroformate in CH3CN with pyridine as base. The two diastereomers of ester were seperated by recrystallization in methanol at 0degreesC. Lamivudine was obtained by deprotection of (-)-diastereomer with high yield.

The influence of nucleating agent on crystallization behavior and properties of polypropylene and its copolymer with ethylene

The influences of nucleating agent EDBS on crystallization behavior and properties of polypropylene UP) and its copolymer with a small amount (4. 48 %, molar fraction) of ethylene (CPP) were studied. DSC results indicated that the crystallization temperature of iPP and CPP samples with 0.5 % (mass fraction) EDBS obviously increased and the degree of crystallinity of these samples became higher. In addition, adding small amount of EDBS enhanced the crystallization of the low isotacticity and low molecular weight segments of the CPP. PLM results showed that their spherulite size decreased markedly, and as a result, the transmittance and haze of the films were all improved.

Morphology, thermal behavior, and mechanical properties of PA6/UHMWPE blends with HDPE-g-MAH as a compatibilizing agent

A functionalized high-density polyethylene (HDPE) with maleic anhydride (MAH) was prepared using a reactive extruding method. This copolymer was used as a compatibilizer of blends of polyamide 6 (PA6) and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Morphologies were examined by a scanning electron microscope. It was found that the dimension of UHMWPE and HDPE domains in the PA6 matrix decreased dramatically, compared with that of the uncompatibilized blending system. The size of the UHMWPE domains was reduced from 35 mu m (PA6/UHMWPE, 80/20) to less than 4 mu m (PA6/UHMWPE/HDPE-g-MAH, 80/20/20). The tensile strength and Izod impact strength of PA6/UHMWPE/HDPE-g-MAH (80/20/20) were 1.5 and 1.6 times as high as those of PA6/UHMWPE: (80/20), respectively. This behavior could be attributed to chemical reactions between the anhydride groups of HDPE-g-MAH and the terminal amino groups of PA6 in PA6/UHMWPE/HDPE-g-MAH blends. Thermal analysis was performed to confirm that the above chemical reactions took place during the blending process. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Effect of nucleating agent on the isothermal crystallization kinetics of PHBV

The crystallization behavior of PHBV, poly(beta -hydroxybutyrate-co-beta -hydrxyvalerate), with nucleating agents under isothermal conditions was investigated. A differential scanning calorimeter was used to monitor the crystallization process from the melt. During isothermal crystallization, the dependence of relative degree of crystallinity on time was described by the Avrami equation. It has been shown that the addition of BN and Tale causes a considerable increase in the overall crystallization rate of PHBV but does not influence the Avrami exponent n, mechanism of nucleation and spherulite growth mode of PHBV. A little of nucleating agent will increase the crystallization rate and decrease the fold surface free energy sigma (e), remarkably. The effect of BN is more significant than that of Talc.

Polyaniline as marine antifouling and corrosion-prevention agent

Conductive polyaniline was found to have special marine antifouling property. The coating from conducting polyaniline and epoxy resin(or polyurethane) can last 6-9 months in Southern China sea, i.e., less than 10% of the coating surface was fouled during this period. The conducting polyaniline has special synergetic antifouling effect on other antifouling agents like cuprous oxide or 4, 4'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. The conductivity of the polyaniline was found to be extremely important for its antifouling effect. Moreover, employing aliphatic polyamine as solvent of emeraldine base and curing agent of epoxy resin, a new technique to process corrosion prevention coating containing emeraldine base was developed, therefrom the emeraldine base and epoxy resin was in molecular level blending. This technique was solvent free and extremely effective, i.e., only 1wt% of emeraldine base in the coating can have good corrosion prevention property.

Liquid crystalline polymer as a processing agent in blends of poly(ether-ketone)/LCP70

Blends of a liquid crystalline thermotropic copolyester (LCP70) and an amorphous phenolphthalein based poly(ether-ketone)(PEK-C) with two viscosities were prepared by melt blending. The blends' morphology, rheological and mechanical properties were investigated by DSC, SEM, mechanical and rheological tests. It was observed that the optimum composition of the PEK-C/LCP70 blend was 10 wt% LCP for both mechanical and rheological properties. When the LCP content was less than 10%, the LCP phase existed as finely dispersed fibrous domains with a diameter of about 1 mu m in the matrix, and both tensile and flexural properties were improved. In contrast, when the LCP content reached 20% or more, the LCP domains coalesced to ellipsoidal particles with a diameter of about 5 mu m, and the mechanical properties decreased as a result. It is demonstrated that pure PEK-C with a high viscosity which was difficult to process by melt extrusion, could be extruded conveniently when 10% LCP70 was incorporated. It is emphasized that LCP not only can be used as a reinforcing phase but also an effective processing agent for engineering thermoplastics, especially for those with high viscosity and narrow processing window. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Properties of ethylene-propylene copolymer/PA-1010 blends using ethylene-propylene copolymer-graft-acrylic acid as a compatibilizing agent

The modification of ethylene-propylene copolymer (EP) has been accomplished by radical EP-graft-acrylic acid (EP-g-AA) has been used to obtain ternary PA/EP/EP-g-AA blends by melt mixing. Different blend morphologies were observed by scanning electron microscopy; the domain size of the EP-dispersed phase in the polyamide 1010 matrix of compatibilized blends decreased compared with that of uncompatibilized blends. It is found that EP-g-AA used as the third component has a profound effect on the mechanical properties of the resulting blends. This behavior has been attributed to serious chemical interactions taking place between the two components. Thermal analysis shows that some thermal properties of PA in compatibilized PA/EP/EP-g-AA changed because of chemical reactions taken place during the blending process. Wide angle x-ray diffraction measurements also confirmed this result. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

基于粗糙集和多Agent系统的知识挖掘

通过优化知识表达系统中条件属性对决策属性的依赖度,深入研究了粗糙集并与多Agent系统相结合。利用离散粒子群算法,提出一种基于粒子群优化的粗糙集知识约简算法,该算法解决了启发式算法无法全局搜索进行约简的问题。最后通过在矿井中调度信息的应用验证了有效性。

BDI Agent的人机智能结合方法

在网络遥操作中存在着由于操作者的操作负担过重或长时间操作而引起的误操作问题,提出以著名的BDIAgent模型为基础,通过引入中断机制,将反映操作者智能决策的操作目标、操作意图与BDIAgent推理产生的目标、意图进行结合的方法,为解决Agent智能的局限性和操作者的误操作问题,提供了一种人机接口方法,实现了人机智能结合.给出了中断的引入方法和操作者操作目标、操作意图中断响应原理,用形式化模型描述了人机智能决策选取目标和意图的过程.该人机智能结合方法在网络遥操作RoboCup中型足球机器人系统中得到了应用.

基于Agent的网络遥操作机器人系统控制研究

为了充分发挥智能机器人的自主性和人的主观能动性,实现通过网络遥操作非结构化环境下的智能机器人,提出了一种基于Agent的网络遥操作机器人控制系统结构,分析了控制系统中各部分的功能,给出了系统中各个Agent的实现方法。该控制方法已通过仿人形机器人的遥操作控制实验得到了验证。

基于agent及holon的可重构生产线实现技术

以大批量制造的生产线制造系统为背景,研究基于agent与holon智能制造思想体系的可重构生产线制造系统实现技术,以提高生产线柔性与可重构能力为目标·深入分析了多agent制造及holonic制造模式体系下智能单元自主决策、协商合作在制造系统环境中的实现与运行机制,在以机械加工线和装配线为代表的不同的工程实际背景与应用环境下该思想体系目前的具体应用情况与实现技术·指出该思想体系面向具体工程背景的有效实施应用是理论研究的关键·最后以某汽车变速器装配生产线制造系统为应用实例,从其规划设计与运行角度,分析了可重构生产线系统的框架设计及具体实现技术与方法·

基于多Agent可重构机器人控制方法的研究

根据多 Agent理论中的协商、合作机制和可重构机器人结构的分布性 ,将集中式的机器人控制分配到一组关节 Agent中 ,每个 Agent控制机器人的一个关节 ,使用这种分布式方法 ,得到了一种新的通用机器人控制方法 ,即将关节机器人的复杂控制转换为多个简单子系统的控制 ,该方法可应用于具有不同构型的机器人系统 ,特别适用于可重构模块化机器人的控制。利用微分运动理论提出了一种新的决策方法 ,便于 Agent之间的合作与协商。仿真实验结果表明该方法是一种可行的机器人控制方法