An evaluation of exogenous application of protoporphyrin IX and its dimethyl ester as a photodynamic diagnostic agent in poorly differentiated human nasopharyngeal carcinoma

5-Aminolevulinic acid and its esterified analogues have been under much investigation to enhance the endogenous production of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in tumor cells. However, in this work, we studied the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of exogenously administered PpIX and its esterified analogue, PpIX dimethyl ester (PME), in poorly differentiated human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC/CNE-2) as a photodynamic diagnostic (PDD) agent. NPC/CNE-2 at its earliest time, 1 h after incubation with PME in in vitro studies, has exhibited 64% (P <0.01) higher tumor to normal cell (T/N) fluorescence ratio than with PpIX. In an in vivo mouse xenograft model, comparable photosensitizer concentration in tumor after intravenous administration was observed at 1-3 h time points, but at 9 h, PME had 31% (P=0.05) greater concentration in tumor compared with PpIX. In addition, by constituting PME and PpIX in different topical gel composites, of which, PME gel composition of 8:2 Plasdone and Gantrez resulted in the highest T/N ratio at 6 h after application (34%; P <0.05) in comparison with other gel composites. Evaluation of PME and PpIX constituted in the delivery vehicles investigated showed comparable selectivity for tumor at 1-3 h, thus neither photosensitizer is more efficient than the other for PDD at the early time points; however, beyond 6 h, PME had higher selectivity for tumor compared with PpIX. Thus, further investigation is warranted to improve the drug delivery vehicle for greater tumor selectivity at a shorter incubation time.     

Measurement of the muonic branching fractions of the narrow upsilon resonances

The decay branching fractions of the three narrow Upsilon resonances to mu(+)mu(-) have been measured by analyzing about 4.3 fb(-1) e(+)e(-) data collected with the CLEO III detector. The branching fraction B(Upsilon(1S)-->mu(+)mu(-))=(2.49+/-0.02+/-0.07)% is consistent with the current world average, but B(Upsilon(2S)-->mu(+)mu(-))=(2.03+/-0.03+/-0.08)% and B(Upsilon(3S)-->mu(+)mu(-))=(2.39+/-0.07+/-0.10)% are significantly larger than prior results. These new muonic branching fractions imply a narrower total decay width for the Upsilon(2S) and Upsilon(3S) resonances and lower other branching fractions that rely on these decays in their determination.     

Study of the semileptonic charm decays D(0)-->pi(-)l(+)nu and D(0)-->K(-)l(+)nu

We investigate the decays D(0)-->pi(-)l(+)nu and D(0)-->K(-)l(+)nu, where l is e or mu, using approximately 7 fb(-1) of data collected with the CLEO III detector. We find R(0) identical with B(D(0)-->pi(-)e(+)nu)/B(D(0)-->K(-)e(+)nu)=0.082+/-0.006+/-0.005. Fits to the kinematic distributions of the data provide parameters describing the form factor of each mode. Combining the form factor results and R(0) gives |f(pi)(+)(0)|(2)|V(cd)|(2)/|f(K)(+)(0)|(2)|V(cs)|(2)=0.038(+0.006+0.005)(-0.007-0.003).     

Search for rare and forbidden decays D+ --> h+/- e+/- e+

Using 0.8 x 10(6) D+ D- pairs collected with the CLEO-c detector at the psi(3770) resonance, we have searched for flavor-changing neutral current and lepton-number-violating decays of D+ mesons to final states with dielectrons. We find no indication of either, obtaining 90% confidence level upper limits of B(D+ --> pi+ e+ e-) < 7.4 x 10(-6), B(D+ --> pi- e+ d+) < 3.6 x 10(-6), B(D+ --> K+ e+ e-) < 6.2 x 10(-6), and B(D+ --> K- e+ e+) < 4.5 x 10(-6).     

Observation of eta'c production in gammagamma fusion at CLEO

We report on the observation of the eta(')(c)(2(1)S0), the radial excitation of the eta(c)(1(1)S0) ground state of charmonium, in the two-photon fusion reaction gammagamma-->eta(')(c)-->K(0)(S)K+/-pi(-/+) in 13.6 fb(-1) of CLEO II/II.V data and 13.1 fb(-1) of CLEO III data. We obtain M(eta(')(c))=3642.9+/-3.1(stat)+/-1.5(syst) MeV and M(eta(c))=2981.8+/-1.3(stat)+/-1.5(syst) MeV. The corresponding values of hyperfine splittings between 1S0 and 3S1 states are DeltaM(hf)(1S)=115.1+/-2.0 MeV and DeltaM(hf)(2S)=43.1+/-3.4 MeV. Assuming that the eta(c) and eta(')(c) have equal branching fractions to K(S)Kpi, we obtain Gamma(gammagamma)(eta(')(c))=1.3+/-0.6 keV.     

Evidence for the decay D0-->K(-)pi(+)pi(-)e(+)nu(e)

Using a 281 pb{-1} data sample collected at the psi(3770) with the CLEO-c detector, we present the first absolute branching fraction measurement of the decay D0-->K(-)pi(+)pi(-)e(+)nu(e) at a statistical significance of about 4.0 standard deviations. We find 10 candidates consistent with the decay D0-->K(-)pi(+)pi(-)e(+)nu(e). The probability that a background fluctuation accounts for this signal is less than 4.1 x 10{-5}. We find B(D0-->K(-)pi(+)pi(-)e(+)nu(e)) = [2.8{-1.1}{+1.4}(stat)+/-0.3(syst)]x10{-4}. By restricting the invariant mass of the hadronic system to be consistent with K1(1270), we obtain the product of branching fractions B(D{0}-->K{1}{-}(1270)e{+}nu{e})xB(K1-(1270)-->K{-}pi{+}pi{-})=[2.5{-1.0}{+1.3}(stat)+/-0.2(syst)]x10{-4}. Using B(K1-(1270)-->K{-}pi{+}pi{-})=(33+/-3)%, we obtain B(D{0}-->K{1}{-}(1270)e{+}nu{e})=[7.6{-3.0}{+4.1}(stat)+/-0.6(syst)+/-0.7]x10{-4}. The last error accounts for the uncertainties in the measured K1-(1270)-->K{-}pi{+}pi{-} branching fractions.     

Certain basic issues in finite-deformation continuum plasticity

Summary I consider the kinematical implications embedded in the decomposition of the deformation gradient F into two constituents, F^* (say, elastic) and F^p (say, plastic), in the form F=F^* F^p. Whatever the origin, nature, and physical meaning of these three deformation gradients, the decomposition can always be recast in the form F==V^* Q U^p, where V^* and U^p are stretch tensors, respectively associated with F^* and F^p, and Q is a unique rotation tensor. It then follows that the (elastic) spin associated with V^* and the (plastic) spin associated with U^p are fully defined by their corresponding deformation rates. I give explicit expressions defining elastic and plastic spins in terms of the elastic and plastic deformation rates, respectively. I show that, if the total velocity gradient and either the elastic or the plastic (but not both) deformation rate tensor, are given, then all the remaining kinematical rate quantities can be calculated explicitly, with no constitutive or other assumptions. I give explicit expressions for the rate of change of V^*, Q, and U^p, from which these quantities can be incrementally but directly obtained. In particular, I give explicit expressions for the elastic spin, plastic spin, and the rigid spin. Constitutive implications of these purely kinematical results are briefly discussed in connection with rate-independent and rate-dependent phenomenological elastoplasticity, and, particularly, kinematical hardening.

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Sommario Si considerano le implicazioni cinematiche insite nella decomposizione del gradiente di deformazione F in due componenti, F^* (per esempio, la parte elastica) ed P^p (per esempio, la parte plastica), nella forma F=F^*F^p. Qualunque sia l'origine, la natura e il significato fisico di questi tre gradienti, la decomposizione si può sempre riscrivere nella forma F=U^* Q U^p, in cui V^* ed U^p sono tensori di deformazione associati rispettivamente con F^* ed F^p, e Q è un tensore di rotazione univocamente definito. Ne segue che lo spin (elastico) associato con U^* e lo spin (plastico) associato con U^p sono completamente definiti dalle corrispondenti derivate delle deformazioni: di questa dipendenza si forniscono le espressioni esplicite. Si mostra quindi che, se sono dati il gradiente della velocità totale e il tensore delle deformazioni elastiche o quello delle deformazioni plastiche (ma non entrambi), tutte le altre quantità cinematiche possono essere calcolate esplicitamente, senza alcuna ulteriore ipotesi, neanche sulla legge costitutiva. Si forniscono ancora espressioni per i gradienti di V^*, Q ed U^p, dalle quali queste quantità si possono ottenere direttamente, per incrementi successivi: in particolare, si danno espressioni esplicite per lo spin elastico, plastico e rigido. Si discutono brevemente le implicazioni costitutive di questi risultati puramente cinematici, in connessione con vari aspetti fenomenologici dell'elasto-plasticità, e in particolare l'incrudimento cinematico.

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Invited Lecture presented at New Developments in Structural Mechanichs, International Meeting in memory of Professor Manfredi Romano; Catania, Italy, 4–6 July 1990.     

On thermomechanics of elastic stability

Zusammenfassung Es wird die Thermomechanik des Stabilitätsphenomens elastischer Körper unter äusseren Belastungen betrachtet, welche auf beliebige Weise von der Deformation und der Bewegung benachbarter Materialbereiche, an denen sie angreifen, abhängen können; diese Kräfte werden bewegungsabhängige Belastungen genannt. Eine allgemeine Ungleichung, welche für alle Materialien unter bewegungsabhängigen Belastungen gilt, wird mittels der Erhaltungssätze und der Entropiebilanz hergeleitet; diese Ungleichung wird auf elastische Körper, welche jedoch noch Energie auf allgemeine Weise dissipieren können, spezialisiert. Mittels einer Energienorm werden hinreichende Bedingungen für die örtliche Stabilität endlich deformierter Gleichgewichtskonfigurationen solcher Körper und gewisse notwendige Bedingungen hergeleitet. Schliesslich wird das allgemeine (nicht notwendig lokale) Problem der Stabilität eines Gleichgewichtszustandes kurz untersucht und gewisse in diesem Zusammenhang notwendige und hinreichende Bedingungen werden diskutiert.

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Dedicated to Professor Ziegler on his sixtieth birthday

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This research was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant GK-10161.     

Search for exclusive multibody non- decays at the resonance

Using data collected at the psi(3770) resonance with the CLEO-c detector at the Cornell e+e- storage ring, we present searches for 25 charmless decay modes of the psi(3770), mostly multibody final states. No evidence for charmless decays is found.     

Optimization in Solvent Selection for Chlorin e6 in Photodynamic Therapy

The photophysical properties of chlorin e6 (Ce6) in twelve different protic, aprotic and non-polar solvents were investigated using ultraviolet–visible and fluorescence spectroscopic methods. Solvatochromic effects were determined by the changes in quantum yield, Stokes shift, fluorescence half-life and excited state dipole moments of Ce6 in the different solvents. The absorption shifts observed in different solvents were further analyzed using the Kamlet-Abboud-Taft model and the nature of solute-solvent interactions between Ce6 and different protic and aprotic solvents was elucidated. The quantum yields were found highest in protic solvents (except water), followed by aprotic and non-polar solvents. Solvent polarity parameters showed a linear increasing trend with Stokes shift and fluorescence half-life, which indicated the presence of Ce6-solvent interaction. Using the Kamlet-Abboud-Taft model, a direct correlation between the solvent polarity parameters and absorption shift was observed, which substantiated the existence of Ce6-solvent interaction by hydrogen bond formation. The excited state dipole moments in specific protic and aprotic solvents were found to be higher than the ground state dipole moments, implying a more polar nature of Ce6 during excited state transition.