Microphase separation at the surface of block copolymers, as studied with atomic force microscopy.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is used to study the phase separation process occurring in block copolymers in the solid state. The simultaneous measurement of the amplitude and the phase of the oscillating cantilever in the tapping mode operation provides the surface topography along with the cartography of the microdomains of different mechanical properties. This technique thus allows to characterize the size and shape of those microdomains and their organization at the surface (e.

[Efficacy of modern imaging technics in the diagnosis of isolated angiomyolipoma of the kidney. Apropos of 11 cases].

Ultrasound and computed tomography imaging techniques are very reliable methods of detection and diagnosis of renal angiomyolipoma not associated with the tuberous sclerosis of Bourneville's disease: results are considerably improved when compared with conventional investigations (IVU, arteriography). The series reported included 6 patients with large angiomyolipomas and 5 with lesions less than 2 cm in diameter discovered fortuitously on ultrasonography: all tumors were partially or totally hyperechogenic. The fatty tissue was detected in 9 of the 11 cases by computed tomography imaging.

Properties of human neutral bronchial mucins after modification of the peptide or the carbohydrate moieties.

Trypsin and pronase treatment of purified human neutral bronchial mucins released small fragments from the C-terminal end of these molecules and resulted in slight increases in their sedimentation coefficient presumably reflecting conformational changes. The antigenic determinant of neutral bronchial mucins which appears to be located on this C-terminal fragment is destroyed by pronase or by treatments such as periodate oxidation or galactose oxidase-bromine oxidation which modify the carbohydrate moieties. Thus, both amino acid and carbohydrate residues are involved in the structure of the antigenic determinant.