Spectroscopic techniques and the conservation of artists’ acrylic emulsion paints

Artists’ acrylic emulsion paints are used in many contexts such as paintings, murals, sculptures, works on paper and mixed media; and are forming increasing proportions of modern and contemporary art collections. Although acrylic emulsion paints have been the focus of museum-led research over the past decade, the impact of artists’ technique and conservation treatment on the upper-most surface of these paints remains essentially unexplored ; This paper summarises previous studies using vibrational (FTIR) spectroscopy and presents initial assessments of paint surfaces using X-ray spectroscopies (XPS and NEXAFS) aimed at characterising artists’ acrylic paint film surfaces after natural ageing and wet surface cleaning treatment. Both techniques were found to be well suited for surface-sensitive investigations of the organic materials associated with artists’ acrylic paints, including explorations into: (A) cleaning system residues, (B) surfactant extraction from paint surfaces, (C) the identification of migrated surfactant, and (D) monitoring pigment changes at the paint/air interface of paint films ; It has been shown is that these X-ray spectroscopic techniques can be used for the analysis of almost purely organic materials in a way that complements mass spectroscopic techniques, FTIR and XRF. This investigation forms part of broader, currently ongoing, multi-technique investigation into the properties of artists’ acrylic paints and development of conservation treatments for works-of-art made with these materials

Diffusion of water from a range of conservation treatment gels into paint films studied by unilateral NMR: Part I: Acrylic emulsion paint

Unilateral NMR was used to monitor the penetration of water into acrylic emulsion paint-outs on canvas during cleaning simulations with five thickened conservation treatment systems – agarose gels, methylcellulose paste, Pemulen-TR2, poly(vinyl alcohol)-borax gels, and Velvesil Plus – and water-moistened swabs. Studies were also carried out to measure the rate of water penetration from the different treatment methods into acrylic paints during continuous exposure. Unilateral NMR is shown to be an effective technique for comparing depth penetration of water during cleaning treatments; the volume of paint occupied by water can be extracted from these measurements. The results show that young paint films (1 month) are more prone to swelling than aged paint films (2–50 years), with light aged paints having the highest resistance to water penetration during treatments. Aged organic pigmented acrylic paint (Hansa yellow light) shows a higher propensity for swelling during cleaning than aged titanium dioxide white paint. Cleaning simulations using water-moistened swabs and agar gels deposit approximately equivalent amounts of water into the paint films, whilst all other gel systems tested, with the exception of Velvesil Plus, tend to allow approximately 50% more water into the paint films. None of the aqueous thickened cleaning systems tested reduced the quantity of water which entered the paint films relative to swab cleaning

MODIS-HIRIS ground data systems commonality report

The High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (HIRIS) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) Data Systems Working Group was formed in September 1988 with representatives of the MODIS Data System Study Group and the HIRIS Project Data System Design Group to collaborate in the development of requirements on the EosDIS necessary to meet the science objectives of the two facility instruments. A major objective was to identify and promote commonality between the HIRIS and MODIS data systems, especially from the science users' point of view. A goal was to provide a base set of joint requirements and specifications which could easily be expanded to a Phase-B representation of the needs of the science users of all EOS instruments. This document describes the points of commonality and difference between the Level-II Requirements, Operations Concepts, and Systems Specifications for the ground data systems for the MODIS and HIRIS instruments at their present state of development

Gene expression and splicing alterations analyzed by high throughput RNA sequencing of chronic lymphocytic leukemia specimens.

BackgroundTo determine differentially expressed and spliced RNA transcripts in chronic lymphocytic leukemia specimens a high throughput RNA-sequencing (HTS RNA-seq) analysis was performed.MethodsTen CLL specimens and five normal peripheral blood CD19+ B cells were analyzed by HTS RNA-seq. The library preparation was performed with Illumina TrueSeq RNA kit and analyzed by Illumina HiSeq 2000 sequencing system.ResultsAn average of 48.5 million reads for B cells, and 50.6 million reads for CLL specimens were obtained with 10396 and 10448 assembled transcripts for normal B cells and primary CLL specimens respectively. With the Cuffdiff analysis, 2091 differentially expressed genes (DEG) between B cells and CLL specimens based on FPKM (fragments per kilobase of transcript per million reads and false discovery rate, FDR q < 0.05, fold change >2) were identified. Expression of selected DEGs (n = 32) with up regulated and down regulated expression in CLL from RNA-seq data were also analyzed by qRT-PCR in a test cohort of CLL specimens. Even though there was a variation in fold expression of DEG genes between RNA-seq and qRT-PCR; more than 90 % of analyzed genes were validated by qRT-PCR analysis. Analysis of RNA-seq data for splicing alterations in CLL and B cells was performed by Multivariate Analysis of Transcript Splicing (MATS analysis). Skipped exon was the most frequent splicing alteration in CLL specimens with 128 significant events (P-value <0.05, minimum inclusion level difference >0.1).ConclusionThe RNA-seq analysis of CLL specimens identifies novel DEG and alternatively spliced genes that are potential prognostic markers and therapeutic targets. High level of validation by qRT-PCR for a number of DEG genes supports the accuracy of this analysis. Global comparison of transcriptomes of B cells, IGVH non-mutated CLL (U-CLL) and mutated CLL specimens (M-CLL) with multidimensional scaling analysis was able to segregate CLL and B cell transcriptomes but the M-CLL and U-CLL transcriptomes were indistinguishable. The analysis of HTS RNA-seq data to identify alternative splicing events and other genetic abnormalities specific to CLL is an added advantage of RNA-seq that is not feasible with other genome wide analysis

Palatal Actinomycosis and Kaposi Sarcoma in an HIV-Infected Subject with Disseminated Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection

Actinomyces and Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare are facultative intracellular organisms, members of the bacterial order actinomycetales. Although Actinomyces can behave as copathogen when anatomic barriers are compromised, its coinfection with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare has not previously been reported. We present the first reported case of palatal actinomycosis co-infection with disseminated MAC, in an HIV-infected subject with Kaposi sarcoma and diabetes. We discuss the pathogenesis of the complex condition of this subject

Patient Perspectives on Acquiring Spectacles: A Cambodian Experience

Purpose: To assess the perspectives of patients who acquired spectacles from an eye unit/vision center in Cambodia. Design: A sample (n = 62) of patients was selected across 4 provinces: Prey Veng, Siem Reap, Battambang, and Takeo. Methods: The Patient Spectacle Satisfaction Survey covering demographic and semistructured questions regarding patient satisfaction, style, and costs incurred was used to collect data. Information was transcribed and translated into English and analyzed by thematic coding using NVivo. Results: Although there were more women seeking eye health care treatment, there was no significant age difference. Patient satisfaction levels were high although the patients had to pay for transportation, registration, and the glasses themselves. A total of 60 patients (96.7%) stated they would recommend the refractive service center to others. Despite a high level of awareness of eye disease such as cataract, only 2 in 10 people could accurately identify cataract as a major cause of poor vision or blindness. Most of the people (52%) blamed bad vision or blindness on dust or other foreign objects getting into the eye, old age (31%), or poor hygiene (16%). Conclusions: Most people will pay eye care costs once barriers to seeking treatment have been broken via education and encouragement. Satisfaction of wearing spectacles was associated with improved vision; style, color, and fit of the spectacles; and protection from sunlight and dust. The proximity of and easy access to health facilities influenced patient desire to seek treatment