Bacteriophages isolated from activated sludge processes and their polyvalency

In this study, bacteriophages were isolated from activated sludge and their host range was studied. Bacterial isolates were obtained from an activated sludge process treating urban sewage, and bacteriophages were obtained by plaque assay using the bacterial isolates obtained in this study as the host. Out of 15 bacteria isolated, 9 supported plaque formation. The host range test was conducted with a combination of 8 bacteriophage isolates and 9 bacterial isolates. All of the 8 bacteriophages tested were found to form plaques on more than 1 host, and 4 of them formed plaques on both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial isolates. Three of the 8 bacteriophages failed to form plaques on their original bacterial host. The experimental result indicates that bacteriophages are an active part of the activated sludge microbial ecosystem, having a very close ecological relationship with their host bacteria.     

Location-based services in ubiquitous computing environments

This paper presents a framework for providing dynamically deployable services in ubiquitous computing settings. The goal of the framework is to provide people, places, and objects with computational functionalities to support and annotate them. Using RFID-based tracking systems, the framework detects the locations of physical entities, such as people or things, and deploys services bound to the entities at proper computing devices near where they are located. It enables location-based and personalized information services to be implemented as mobile agents and operated at stationary or mobile computing devices, which are at appropriate locations, even if the services do not have any location-information. This paper presents the rationale, design, implementation, and applications of our prototype infrastructure.     

Elimination of artifacts in MRCP: technical consideration

Artifacts of MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) include fluid-filled gastrointestinal tracts, respiratory motion artifacts, spasm of Oddi's sphincter, vascular compression of bile ducts, overlapping of various anatomical structures and bright signal of surrounding fatty tissue. In this article, various technical considerations to eliminate these artifacts were described for the better imaging analysis of MRCP. The use of high-concentration ferric ammonium citrate (Ferriseltz) is recommended to reduce bright signal of fluid-filled gastrointestinal tracts. In case of long breathhold sequences, O2-inhalation study is useful to eliminate respiratory motion artifacts. Careful attention should be paid to the spasm of Oddi's sphincter and the vascular compression of bile ducts to avoid erroneous interpretation of MRCP findings.     

Long-term cure of a malignant lymphoma of the pleural cavity treated by irradiation

Malignant lymphomas arise in the pleura in association with a long-standing chronic tuberculous pyothorax. We report a case of a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the pleural cavity, inoperable because of local invasion into thoracic wall, who has survived more than 6 years without recurrence. This patient represents the longest reported survival after radiation therapy alone. Radiotherapy holds an important role in the treatment of locally advanced lymphoma of the pleural cavity.     

Oligoethylenes in high pressure polyethylene

Summary Series of several alkylated cycloheptanes were detected in some commercial samples of high pressure polyethylene. The structures of the alkylated cycloheptanes were found closely related to the chain transfer agents used in the polymerization process. A probable mechanism involving radical cyclization to cycloheptane structures was presented.     

Phase study on solid fission products,Ba, Sr and Zr in oxide fuel

Behavior of pseudo-fission products (Ba, Sr, and Zr) as oxides in UO₂ has been investigated by means of high-temperature X-ray diffraction and microprobe analysis. Two identifiable compounds were formed as reaction products in the mixed oxides which initially consisted of UO₂, BaO, SrO, and ZrO₂ powder. These compounds were present and were identified crystallographically as (Ba, Sr) ZrO₃ and (Ba, Sr)UO₃ after heat treatment of the powders at 1500°C for 30 min. Both compounds are isostructural with perovskite, CaTiO₃, and the lattice parameters of both (Ba, Sr)ZrO₃ and (Ba, Sr)UO₃ decrease with increasing content of Sr. (Ba, Sr)UO₃ is decomposed almost completely at 1800°C while (Ba, Sr) ZrO₃ is stable up to 2000°C. The behavior of Ba, Sr, and Zr in fuel under irradiation is discussed.     

Determination of assigned configurational parameters for cross propagation in radical copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and trityl methacrylate

Summary Copolymer of methyl methacrylate-d₈(M₁) with a small amount of trityl methacrylate(M₂) was radically prepared in tetrahydrofuran and converted into the copolymer of methyl methacrylate-d₈ with a small amount of undeuterated methyl methacrylate by the selective hydrolysis of the trityl group and subsequent methylation with diazomethane. From the ¹H NMR spectrum of the derived copolymer the assigned coisotactic parameters ₁₂ and ₂₁ were determined to be 0.14 and 0.61, respectively. This may be the first example of the unequivocal determination of assigned configurational parameters in cross propagation for copolymerization.