An introduction of the condition class space with continuous value discretization and rough set theory

The granularity of an information system has an incumbent effect on the efficacy of the analysis from many machine learning algorithms. An information system contains a universe of objects characterized and categorized by condition and decision attributes. To manage the concomitant granularity, a level of continuous value discretization (CVD) is often undertaken. In the case of the rough set theory (RST) methodology for object classification, the granularity contributes to the grouping of objects into condition classes with the same condition attribute values. This article exposits the effect of a level of CVD on the subsequent condition classes constructed, with the introduction of the condition class space—the domain within which the condition classes exist. This domain elucidates the association of the condition classes to the related decision outcomes—reflecting the inexactness incumbent when a level of CVD is undertaken. A series of measures is defined that quantify this association. Throughout this study and without loss of generality, the findings are made through the RST methodology. This further offers a novel exposition of the relationship between all the condition attributes and the RST‐related reducts (subsets of condition attributes). © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Int Syst 21: 173–191, 2006.     

Characterization and optimization of copper chemical mechanical planarization

The feature scale planarization of the copper chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process has been characterized for two copper processes using Hitachi 430-TU/Hitachi T605 and Cabot 5001/Arch Cu10K consumables. The first process is an example of an abrasive-free polish with a high-selectivity barrier slurry, while the second is an example of a conventional abrasive slurry with a low-selectivity barrier slurry. Copper fill planarization has been characterized for structures with conformal deposition as well as with bumps resulting from bottom-up fill. Dishing and erosion were characterized for several structures after clearing. The abrasive-free polish resulted in low sensitivity to overpolish and low saturation levels for dishing and erosion. Consequently, this demonstrated superior performance when compared to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) 2000 roadmap targets for planarization. While the conventional slurry could achieve the 0.13-μm technology node requirements, the abrasive-free polish met the planarization requirements beyond the 0.10-μm technology node.     

Antitubercular activity of lomefloxacin in an experiment

The effect of lomefloxacin was studied on mice with experimental infection due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The antibiotic was administered in doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg. It was shown that the use of lomefloxacin for a month provided a lower death rate of the animals with progressing acute generalized tuberculosis, a lower level of the lesions in the internal organs and a lower number of the Mycobacterium isolates from them. The efficacy of the treatment depended on the drug dose. When lomefloxacin was used in a dose of 200 mg/kg, the survival rate was much higher and the number of the epithelial unicellular granulomas in the tissue of the lung and spleen was markedly decreased while with the lower dose the indices did not differ from those in the control.     

Prolonged tamoxifen exposure selects a breast cancer cell clone that is stable in vitro and in vivo

The effects of long-term tamoxifen exposure on cell growth and cell cycle kinetics were compared between oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive (MCF-7) and ER-negative (MDA-MB-231) cell lines. In the MCF-7 cell line, prolonged tamoxifen exposure (0.5 mumol/l for > 100 days) blocked cells in G0-G1 of the cell cycle, and slowed the doubling time of cells from 30 to 59 h. These effects corresponded to an increase in the cellular accumulation of tamoxifen over time [mean area under concentration curve (AUC) = 77.92 mumoles/10(6)/cells/day]. In contrast, in the MDA-MB-231 cell line, long-term tamoxifen exposure had no obvious effect on the doubling time, and reduced cellular tamoxifen accumulation (mean AUC = 50.50 mumoles/10(6)/cells/day) compared to the MCF-7 cells. Flow cytometric analysis of MDA-MB-231 cells demonstrated that a new tetraploid clone emerged following 56 days of tamoxifen exposure. Inoculation of the MDA-MB-231 tetraploid clone and MDA-MB-231 wildtype cells into the opposite flanks of athymic nude mice resulted in the rapid growth of tetraploid tumours. The tetraploid tumours maintained their ploidy following tamoxifen treatment for nine consecutive serial transplantations. Histological examination of the fifth transplant generation xenografts revealed that the tetraploid tumour had a 25-30 times greater mass, area of haemorrhage and necrosis, a slightly higher mitotic index and was more anaplastic than the control neoplasm. The control wildtype MDA-MB-231 tumours maintained a stable ploidy following tamoxifen treatment until the eighth and ninth transplantation, when a tetraploid population appeared, suggesting that tamoxifen treatment may select for this clone in vivo. These studies suggest that prolonged tamoxifen exposure may select for new, stable, fast growing cell clones in vitro as well as in vivo.     

The ability of the rat to metabolize myristoyl-methionine: an acylamino acid with potentially useful antibacterial properties

Two experiments with Sprague Dawley rats tested their ability to hydrolyse myristoyl-methionine (M-M) into myristic acid and L-methionine (M). In the first experiment, lasting for 3 days. male rats were orally administered [9,10-3H]myristoyl-L-[35S]methionine. The recovery of radioactivity was approximately 90% for both isotopes; 19% of the administered 3H was recovered in the urine and 16% in the faeces, while the recovered 35S activity was 13 and 12%, respectively. The balance of the radioactivity was found among the tissues, organs and blood. In the second experiment, male and female rats received soybean-based diets which were supplemented with either 0.305% M-M or 0.2% M (both diets contained equal amounts of M) for periods up to 4 weeks. The growth rate of the rats receiving the 0.305% M-M diets was slightly slower than that for the rats on the 0.2% M diet, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The M-M rats had a transitory decrease in feed consumption, suggesting that palatability may have contributed to the growth difference and that a somewhat greater amount of M-M was necessary for the rat to attain the same growth rate as that produced by 0.2% M. When the amount of dietary M-M was increased to 3.05% M-M, a greater reduction in feed consumption and body weight gain was observed. This latter diet was an initial attempt to study the potential toxicity of M-M. None of the haematological, clinical chemistry or organ weight data suggested that M-M was overtly toxic per se, but longer-term feeding studies are needed to evaluate the potential toxicity of M-M more fully.     

Monoacylglycerols derived from butter oil by Penicillium roquefortii in suspension cultures

Structural isomers of monoacylglycerols (monoglycerides, MAGs) were identified and compared after degradation of butter oil by two strains of Penicillium roquefortii and a commercial lipase from P roquefortii (EC 3.1.1.3) at pH 7.0 and 10 °C. The conditions were selected as they were comparable with those used in the manufacture of blue mould‐ripened cheese. The commercial lipase was selected to compare with the fungal strains in terms of acyl migration. Results showed that the main isomers formed by lipolysis with the commercial lipase were sn‐2 MAGs (64 mol%), whilst spores and emerging mycelia of P roquefortii produced mainly sn‐1(3) MAGs (83–90 mol%). The work reported here may lead to further assessment of different MAG structural isomers as natural preservatives in foods and dairy products. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Measurement of the density and surface tension of Ni-based superalloys in the liquid and mushy states

The densities of three Ni-based superalloys have been measured in both liquid and mushy states by both a modified sessile drop method (MSDM) and a modified pycnometric method (MPM) for alloys CMSX-4 and CM186LC, and for CMSX-10 alloy by MSDM only. The surface tensions of liquid CMSX-4, CM186LC, and CMSX-10 superalloys were measured using the sessile drop method. All measurements were carried out in a highly purified argon atmosphere with the oxygen partial pressure of less than 10⁻¹⁹ MPa in the gas outlet. The densities of all superalloys in both liquid and mushy states were found to decrease with increasing temperature. The volume thermal expansion of each superalloy in the mushy state was found to be higher than that in the liquid state. The densities determined by different methods have been critically assessed and recommended values in both liquid and mushy states are given as a linear function of temperature for the three Ni-based superalloys. The surface tension of liquid CMSX-4 superalloy was found to decrease with increasing temperature, while that of liquid CMSX-10 superalloy increases with increasing temperature. The wetting behavior of liquid CM186LC on the alumina substrate was found (1) to differ significantly from that of CMSX-4 and CMSX-10 and (2) to vary with time. A HfO₂-rich layer was found in the contact area of CM186LC with the alumina substrate, which could lead to some uncertainty in the value obtained for the surface tension determined for CM186LC.