Arithmetic based fractals associated with Pascal's triangle

Our goal is to study Pascal-Sierpinski gaskets, which are certain fractal sets defined in terms of divisibility of entries in Pascal's triangle. The principal tool is a "carry rule" for the addition of the base-q representation of coordinates of points in the unit square. In the case that q = p is prime, we connect the carry rule to the power of p appearing in the prime factorization of binomialcoefficients. We use the carry rule to define a family of fractal subsets Bqr of the unit square, and we show that when q = p is prime, Bqr coincides with the Pascal-Sierpinski gasket corresponding to N = pr . We go on to describe Bqr as the limit of an iterated function system of "partial similarities", and we determine its Hausdorff dimension. We consider also the corresponding fractal sets in higher-dimensional Euclidean space

Synthesis of Colloidal Mn2+:ZnO Quantum Dots and High-TC Ferromagnetic Nanocrystalline Thin Films

We report the synthesis of colloidal Mn2+-doped ZnO (Mn2+:ZnO) quantum dots and the preparation of room-temperature ferromagnetic nanocrystalline thin films. Mn2+:ZnO nanocrystals were prepared by a hydrolysis and condensation reaction in DMSO under atmospheric conditions. Synthesis was monitored by electronic absorption and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies. Zn(OAc)2 was found to strongly inhibit oxidation of Mn2+ by O2, allowing the synthesis of Mn2+:ZnO to be performed aerobically. Mn2+ ions were removed from the surfaces of as-prepared nanocrystals using dodecylamine to yield high-quality internally doped Mn2+:ZnO colloids of nearly spherical shape and uniform diameter (6.1 +/- 0.7 nm). Simulations of the highly resolved X- and Q-band nanocrystal EPR spectra, combined with quantitative analysis of magnetic susceptibilities, confirmed that the manganese is substitutionally incorporated into the ZnO nanocrystals as Mn2+ with very homogeneous speciation, differing from bulk Mn2+:ZnO only in the magnitude of D-strain. Robust ferromagnetism was observed in spin-coated thin films of the nanocrystals, with 300 K saturation moments as large as 1.35 Bohr magneton/Mn2+ and TC > 350 K. A distinct ferromagnetic resonance signal was observed in the EPR spectra of the ferromagnetic films. The occurrence of ferromagnetism in Mn2+:ZnO and its dependence on synthetic variables are discussed in the context of these and previous theoretical and experimental results.Comment: To be published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society Web on July 14, 2004 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja048427j

Individual Fluorouracil Dose Adjustment in FOLFOX Based on Pharmacokinetic Follow-Up Compared With Conventional Body-Area-Surface Dosing: A Phase II, Proof-of-Concept Study

BackgroundTo compare the efficacy and safety of pharmacokinetically (PK) guided fluorouracil (5-FU) dose adjustment vs. standard body-surface-area (BSA) dosing in a FOLFOX (folinic acid, fluorouracil, oxaliplatin) regimen in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Patients And Methods A total of 118 patients with mCRC were administered individually determined PK-adjusted 5-FU in first-line FOLFOX chemotherapy. The comparison arm consisted of 39 patients, and these patients were also treated with FOLFOX with 5-FU by BSA. For the PK-adjusted arm 5-FU was monitored during infusion, and the dose for the next cycle was based on a dose-adjustment chart to achieve a therapeutic area under curve range (5-FUODPM Protocol). Results The objective response rate was 69.7% in the PK-adjusted arm, and median overall survival and median progression-free survival were 28 and 16 months, respectively. In the traditional patients who received BSA dosage, objective response rate was 46%, and overall survival and progression-free survival were 22 and 10 months, respectively. Grade 3/4 toxicity was 1.7% for diarrhea, 0.8% for mucositis, and 18% for neutropenia in the dose-monitored group; they were 12%, 15%, and 25%, respectively, in the BSA group. Conclusions Efficacy and tolerability of PK-adjusted FOLFOX dosing was much higher than traditional BSA dosing in agreement with previous reports for 5-FU monotherapy PK-adjusted dosing. Analysis of these results suggests that PK-guided 5-FU therapy offers added value to combination therapy for mCRC

Экспериментальная автоматизированная система гидрометеорологических измерений и обработки данных для береговых станций

Разработан действующий макет автоматизированной системы прибрежных гидрометеорологических измерений для морской сети Госгидромета Украины. В течение 2000 – 2004 гг. проведены испытания и опытная эксплуатация метеорологических (ветер, температура воздуха, атмосферное давление) и гидрологических (уровень, температура и соленость воды) измерительных блоков, установленных в стандартных условиях морской станции «Севастополь». Приводятся данные о структуре, основных технологических принципах автоматизированной системы и некоторые результаты квазинепрерывных метеорологических и гидрологических измерений.Developed is functioning model of automated system of coastal hydrometeorological measurements for the marine net of State Hydrometeorological Institution of Ukraine. In 2000 – 2004 the tests and experimental exploitation of meteorological (wind, atmospheric temperature, atmospheric pressure) and hydrological (water level, temperature and salinity) measuring blocks installed in standard conditions of marine station “Sevastopol” were held. Data on structure, general technological principles of the automated system and some results of quazi-continuous meteorological and hydrological measurements is presented

Effect of Reducing Atmosphere on the Magnetism of Zn1-xCoxO Nanoparticles

We report the crystal structure and magnetic properties of Zn1-xCoxO nanoparticles synthesized by heating metal acetates in organic solvent. The nanoparticles were crystallized in wurtzite ZnO structure after annealing in air and in a forming gas (Ar95%+H5%). The X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) data for different Co content show clear evidence for the Co+2 ions in tetrahedral symmetry, indicating the substitution of Co+2 in ZnO lattice. However samples with x=0.08 and higher cobalt content also indicate the presence of Co metal clusters. Only those samples annealed in the reducing atmosphere of the forming gas, and that showed the presence of oxygen vacancies, exhibited ferromagnetism at room temperature. The air annealed samples remained non-magnetic down to 77K. The essential ingredient in achieving room temperature ferromagnetism in these Zn1-xCoxO nanoparticles was found to be the presence of additional carriers generated by the presence of the oxygen vacancies.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Nanotechnology IO