Spectral Properties of Thioflavin T and Its Complexes with Amyloid Fibrils

Comparative analysis of the absorption and fluorescence spectra and fluorescence excitation spectra of thioflavin T (ThT) in various solvents and in the composition of amyloid fibrils has shown that ThT, when excited in the region of the long-wavelength absorption band, fluoresces in the spectral region with a maximum at 478–484 nm. The appearance in aqueous and alcohol solutions of a fluorescence band with a maximum near 440 nm has been attributed to the presence in the composition of the ThT preparations of an impurity with an absorption band in the 340–350-nm range. The literature data showing that in glycerol ThT has a wide fluorescence spectrum with two maxima are due to the artifact connected with the use of a high concentration of the dye. It has been suggested that the cause of the low quantum yield of ThT aqueous and alcohol solutions is the breakage of the system of conjugated bonds due to the reorientation of the benzothiozole and benzaminic rings of ThT in the excited state with respect to one another. The main factor determining the high quantum yield of fluorescence of ThT incorporated in fibrils is the steric restriction of the rotation of the rings about one another under these conditions. The suggestions made have been verified by the quantum-chemical calculation of the ThT molecule geometry in the ground and excited states.     

Noncommutative structures

We propose a method for constructing noncommutative analogs of objects from classical calculus, differential geometry, topology, dynamical systems, etc. The standard (commutative) objects can be obtained from noncommutative ones by natural projections (a set of canonical homomorphisms). The approach is ideologically close to the noncommutative geometry of A. Connes but differs from it in technical details.     

Solving large-scale semidefinite programs in parallel

We describe an approach to the parallel and distributed solution of large-scale, block structured semidefinite programs using the spectral bundle method. Various elements of this approach (such as data distribution, an implicitly restarted Lanczos method tailored to handle block diagonal structure, a mixed polyhedral-semidefinite subdifferential model, and other aspects related to parallelism) are combined in an implementation called LAMBDA, which delivers faster solution times than previously possible, and acceptable parallel scalability on sufficiently large problems. This work was supported in part by NSF grants DMS-0215373 and DMS-0238008.     

Observation of a “giant” step of the field electron emission current from a high-temperature superconductor

An abrupt rise of the field electron emission (FEE) current from a high-temperature superconductor (HTSC) being in the normal state has been detected. The current amplification with a factor reaching ∼10⁶ occurs as an HTSC emitter is heated in the temperature range 110–170 K. The features of the temperature dependence of FEE are discussed. Measured parameters of the effect observed are presented. Possible mechanisms of the process under consideration are discussed. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 5, pp. 13–16, May, 2007.     

Parallel processing of remotely sensed data: Application to the ATSR-2 instrument

Massively parallel computational paradigms can mitigate many issues associated with the analysis of large and complex remotely sensed data sets. Recently, the Beowulf cluster has emerged as the most attractive, massively parallel architecture due to its low cost and high performance. Whereas most Beowulf designs have emphasized numerical modeling applications, the Parallel Image Processing Environment (PIPE) specifically addresses the unique requirements of remote sensing applications. Automated, parallelization of user-defined analyses is fully supported. A neural network application, applied to Along Track Scanning Radiometer-2 (ATSR-2) data shows the advantages and performance characteristics of PIPE.     

Roughness reduction in submicron waveguides by low-molecular weight development

Roughness reduction of a submicron waveguide profile in chemically amplified negative resist is here performed by proper selection of an alkali-based developer, taking into account that its smaller molecules lead to smoother resist surface by altering the developing mechanism of aggregate extraction performed with standard quaternary ammonium hydroxide. Roughness is then analyzed by means of classical Atomic Force Microscope inspection; furthermore, a non-invasive line edge roughness analysis approach based on top-down scanning electron microscope acquisition gives comparable results, in terms of standard deviation and molecular aggregate periodicity.     

File bases in groups

File bases — special systems of group generators generalizing the usual bases of Abelian groups — are considered. Examples of such bases in different group classes are listed. It is shown that if some initial groups have file bases, then direct and free products of these groups as well as their extensions also have such bases. With some additional restrictions imposed, the existence of a file basis in factor groups is proved. A list of problems is offered. Translated fromAlgebra i Logika, Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 247-261, May-June, 1995.