Discontinuous Sturm–Liouville Problems with Eigenparameter-Dependent Boundary and Transmissions Conditions

The purpose of this paper is to study a Sturm–Liouville problem with discontinuities in the case when an eigenparameter appears not only in the differential equation but it also appears in both the boundary and transmission conditions. We suggest a new approach for the definition of a suitable Hilbert space and a symmetric linear operator defined in this space in such a way that the considered problem can be interpreted as the eigenvalue problem of this operator and for construction and approximation of a fundamental solution. We apply these results to find asymptotic formulas of eigenvalues and corresponding eigenfunctions. Mathematics Subject Classification (2000) 34L20.This work was supported by the Research Fund of Gaziosmanpasa University under grand no:2004/01.     

Interaction of the mu-opioid receptor with GPR177 (Wntless) inhibits Wnt secretion: potential implications for opioid dependence

Background  

Opioid agonist drugs produce analgesia. However, long-term exposure to opioid agonists may lead to opioid dependence. The analgesic and addictive properties of opioid agonist drugs are mediated primarily via the mu-opioid receptor (MOR). Opioid agonists appear to alter neuronal morphology in key brain regions implicated in the development of opioid dependence. However, the precise role of the MOR in the development of these neuronal alterations remains elusive. We hypothesize that identifying and characterizing novel MOR interacting proteins (MORIPs) may help to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved in the development of opioid dependence.     

High precision delta(17)O isotope measurements of oxygen from silicates and other oxides: method and applications

The use of infrared laser-assisted fluorination to release oxygen from milligram quantities of silicates or other oxide mineral grains is a well-established technique. However, relatively few studies have reported the optimisation of this procedure for oxygen-17 isotope measurements. We describe here details of an analytical system using infrared (10 μm) laser-assisted fluorination, in conjunction with a dual inlet mass spectrometer of high resolving power ( approximately 250) to provide (17)O and (18)O oxygen isotope measurements from 0.5-2 mg of silicates or other oxide mineral grains. Respective precisions (1) of typically 0.08 and 0.04 per thousand are obtained for the complete analytical procedure. Departures from the mass-dependent oxygen isotope fractionation line are quantified by Delta(17)O; our precision (1) of such measurements on individual samples is shown to be +/-0.024 per thousand. In turn, this permits the offset between parallel, mass-dependent fractionation lines to be characterised to substantially greater precision than has been possible hitherto. Application of this system to investigate the (17)O versus (18)O relationship for numerous terrestrial whole-rock and mineral samples, of diverse geological origins and age, indicates that the complete data set may be described by a single, mass-dependent fractionation line of slope 0.5244+/- 0.00038 (standard error). Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coerciveness of the discontinuous initial-boundary value problem for parabolic equations

In this paper, the mixed problem for parabolic equations is investigated with the discontinuous coefficient at the highest derivative and with nonstandard boundary conditions. Namely, the boundary conditions contain values of the solution not only on the boundary points, but also on the inner points of the considered domain as well. Moreover, abstract functionals are involved in the boundary conditions. We single out a class of functional spaces in which coercive solvability occurs for the investigated problem.     

Irregular Boundary Value Problems with Discontinuous Coefficients and the Eigenvalue Parameter

In this study, a Birkhoff-irregular boundary value problem for linear ordinary differential equations of the second order with discontinuous coefficients and the spectral parameter has been considered. Therefore, at the discontinuous point, two additional boundary conditions (called transmission conditions) have been added to the boundary conditions. The eigenvalue parameter is of the second degree in the differential equation and of the first degree in a boundary condition. The equation contains an abstract linear operator which is (usually) unbounded in the space Lq(−1, 1). Isomorphism and coerciveness with defects 1 and 2 are proved for this problem. The case of the biharmonic equation is also studied.     

Test of bell’s inequality using the one-atom micromaser

We examine a local realist bound in the case of a one-atom micromaser. It is shown that such a bound is violated using a simplified treatment of the micromaser. We consider the effect of dissipation in a proposed experiment with the real micromaser. It is seen that the magnitude of violation of a Bell-type inequality depends significantly on the cavity parameters.