Richard courant and the finite element method: A further look

The finite element method has in recent years become one of the most popular and effective numerical procedures for boundary value and eigenvalue problems. In the early 1960s it was found that the method was an independent rediscovery of a simpler idea proposed in 1943 by Richard Courant. The importance of Courant's 1943 paper has been emphasized by G. Strang in 1973 and by others. This note seeks to describe briefly Courant's finite element work which led to his publication of 1943. It is shown that Courant used the finite element ideas as early as 1922 in a proof employing Dirichlet's principle.     

Observation of Optical Second Harmonic Generation in Wet-Spun Films of Na-DNA

The observation of optical second harmonic generation (SHG) from wetspun films of Na-DNA is reported. The SHG signal is stronger at a relative humidity of 92% (corresponding to the B conformation of Na-DNA) than at low humidity of -33% (corresponding to a disordered conformation of Na-DNA). The strength of the SHG signal is also dependent on the orientation of the incident laser beam polarization with respect to the DNA helical axes.     

Magnetic carbon nanocomposites as a MALDI co-matrix enhancing MS-based glycomics

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry - More than 50% of all known proteins are glycosylated, which is critical for many biological processes such as protein folding and signal transduction....