Drop size in a liquid pulsed sieve-plate extraction column

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

“making space” in practice and education: Research support services in academic libraries

Design/methodology/approach – The present paper uses data from a recent survey of research support provision by academic libraries in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland, (authors 2013), and provides additional in depth analysis of the textual responses to extend the analysis in the light of forces for change in higher education. The original online questionnaire surveyed current and planned research support in academic libraries, and constraints or support needs related to service developments. It was distributed to 219 institutions in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Ireland, and obtained 140 valid responses (response rate of 63.9 percent). Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics with thematic categorization and coding for the textual responses

Trench width dependant deeply etched surface-defined InP gratings for low-cost high speed DFB/DBR

In this paper we are reporting a fabrication process for multi-section telecom lasers based on surface defined lateral gratings, which is compatible with low-cost high-throughput nano-imprint lithography. A new grating definition process is developed, which allow a better control of the cross section geometry to obtain higher coupling strength

Effect of Zn(II) deposition in soil on mulberry-silk worm food chain

The present study was conducted to evaluate the entrance of Zn(II) into the food chain of Bombyx mori (silk worm) from mulberry plants irrigated using Zn(II) containing synthetic effluents. The soil, plant, silkworm and their excreta were sampled to determine Zn(II) amount by using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The amount of Zn(II) deposited by synthetic effluent to soil was increased with pH of the effluent. However, the bioaccumaltion of Zn(II) in Morus alba leaves and B. mori larvae was high when the effluent pH was in the acidic range. B. mori excreted considerable amount of Zn(II) but still most of Zn(II) resided inside its body. The maximum Zn(II) amount detected in soil, leaves, larvae andfaeces were 386.51 ± 0.03, 142.85 ± 0.001, 91.375 ± 0.019 and 42.13 ± 0.69 mg/kg, respectively. Zn(II) present in B. mori body was responsible for toxic effects on its life cycle. First instar of B. mori was most affected by Zn(II) toxicity. Body length, body weight of B. mori decreased with increase in bioaccumlated Zn(II) amount in larval body. Higher Zn(II) concentration in larval body increased B. mori death rate significantly

Observation of large intrinsic anomalous Hall conductivity in polycrystalline Mn3_3Sn films

We report the observation of anomalous Hall effect in Mn$_3$Sn polycrystalline thin films deposited on Pt coated Al$_2$O$_3$ substrate with a large anomalous Hall conductivity of 65($\Omega$cm)$^{-1}$ at 3K. The Hall and magnetic measurements show a very small hysteresis owing to a weak ferromagnetic moment in this material. The longitudinal resistivity decreases sufficiently for the thin films as compared to the polycrystalline bulk sample used as the target for the film deposition. The anomalous Hall resistivity and conductivity decreases almost linearly with the increase in the temperature. A negative magnetoresistance is observed for all the measured temperatures with the negative decrease in the magnitude with the increase in temperature

Performance of the GLAS Laser Transmitter in Space

The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS), launched in January 2003, is a laser altimeter and lidar for the Earth Observing System's (EOS) ICESat mission. The laser transmitter requirements, design and qualification test results and in-flight performance for this space-based remote sensing instrument is summarized and presented

Accuracy of specimen radiography in assessing complete local excision with breast-conservation surgery

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of “X- ray examination of surgically resected specimen‘‘ in assessing complete local excision (CLE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective cross sectional study, data were collected for all female breast cancer cases who underwent breast-conserving surgery after needle localization of mammographically visible disease. Males, patients with mammographically invisible disease and cases with benign or inconclusive histopathology, those undergoing modified radical mastectomy and individuals with dense breast parenchyma were excluded. We evaluated radiography of resected specimens to assess margin spiculation, distance of mass/microcalcification from the excised margin, presence of a mass, and presence of any adjacent microcalcification, Other features including mass size, nuclear grade and patient’s age were also recorded and all were analyzed for any association with CLE. RESULTS: Absence of adjacent microcalcification and the presence of a mass on radiographs showed significant associations with CLE, but no links were evident with other features. Specimen radiography was found to be a sufficient tool to predict CLE with a positive predictive value of 83.3%, a sensitivity of 80.7% and a specificity of 81%. CONCLUSION: Specimen radiography is an important and sensitive tool to predict CLE

Towards battery-free machine learning and inference in underwater environments

This paper is motivated by a simple question: Can we design and build battery-free devices capable of machine learning and inference in underwater environments? An affirmative answer to this question would have significant implications for a new generation of underwater sensing and monitoring applications for environmental monitoring, scientific exploration, and climate/weather prediction. To answer this question, we explore the feasibility of bridging advances from the past decade in two fields: battery-free networking and low-power machine learning. Our exploration demonstrates that it is indeed possible to enable battery-free inference in underwater environments. We designed a device that can harvest energy from underwater sound, power up an ultra-low-power microcontroller and on-board sensor, perform local inference on sensed measurements using a lightweight Deep Neural Network, and communicate the inference result via backscatter to a receiver. We tested our prototype in an emulated marine bioacoustics application, demonstrating the potential to recognize underwater animal sounds without batteries. Through this exploration, we highlight the challenges and opportunities for making underwater battery-free inference and machine learning ubiquitous

SDF1-A Facilitates Lin−/Sca1+ Cell Homing following Murine Experimental Cerebral Ischemia

Background Hematopoietic stem cells mobilize to the peripheral circulation in response to stroke. However, the mechanism by which the brain initiates this mobilization is uncharacterized. Methods Animals underwent a murine intraluminal filament model of focal cerebral ischemia and the SDF1-A pathway was evaluated in a blinded manner via serum and brain SDF1-A level assessment, Lin−/Sca1+ cell mobilization quantification, and exogenous cell migration confirmation; all with or without SDF1-A blockade. Results Bone marrow demonstrated a significant increase in Lin−/Sca1+ cell counts at 24 hrs (272±60%; P<0.05 vs sham). Mobilization of Lin−/Sca1+ cells to blood was significantly elevated at 24 hrs (607±159%; P<0.05). Serum SDF1-A levels were significant at 24 hrs (Sham (103±14), 4 hrs (94±20%, p = NS) and 24 hrs (130±17; p<0.05)). Brain SDF1-A levels were significantly elevated at both 4 hrs and 24 hrs (113±7 pg/ml and 112±10 pg/ml, respectively; p<0.05 versus sham 76±11 pg/ml). Following administration of an SDF1-A antibody, Lin−/Sca1+ cells failed to mobilize to peripheral blood following stroke, despite continued up regulation in bone marrow (stroke bone marrow cell count: 536±65, blood cell count: 127±24; p<0.05 versus placebo). Exogenously administered Lin−/Sca1+ cells resulted in a significant reduction in infarct volume: 42±5% (stroke alone), versus 21±15% (Stroke+Lin−/Sca1+ cells), and administration of an SDF1-A antibody concomitant to exogenous administration of the Lin−/Sca1+ cells prevented this reduction. Following stroke, exogenously administered Lin−/Sca1+ FISH positive cells were significantly reduced when administered concomitant to an SDF1-A antibody as compared to without SDF1-A antibody (10±4 vs 0.7±1, p<0.05). Conclusions SDF1-A appears to play a critical role in modulating Lin−/Sca1+ cell migration to ischemic brain

Treatment of tumours with the combination of WR-2721 and cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (II) or cyclophosphamide.

The ability of WR-2721 [S-2(3-aminopropylamino)ethyl-phosporothioic acid] to selectively protect the host against the toxic effects of multiple doses of cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum [cis-Pt] or cyclophosphamide [CY] has been studied in mice and rats bearing 3 different tumours. Selective protection against cis-Pt induced nephrotoxicity has been demonstrated under all conditions studied, with the extent of protection being inversely related to the size of the cis-Pt dose. For example, pre-treatment with 200 mg/kg of WR-2721 30 min before each weekly dose of 2 mg/kg of cis-Pt allows the administration of this cytotoxic agent for 3 times longer before nephrotoxic injury. In none of these studies was there tumour protection. The same pattern was observed with CY, but quantitation of the extent of marrow protection was not possible for the multiple treatment studies, due to the longer latent period between induced and observed death with this drug. We conclude, therefore, that for both of these drugs, selective protection of the kidney and marrow is not only maintained under conditions of multiple treatment, but actually enhanced due to the need for smaller doses of cytotoxic agents in these protocols