Mass‐lumping or not mass‐lumping for eigenvalue problems

In this article we analyze the effect of mass‐lumping in the linear triangular finite element approximation of second‐order elliptic eigenvalue problems. We prove that the eigenvalue obtained by using mass‐lumping is always below the one obtained with exact integration. For singular eigenfunctions, as those arising in non convex polygons, we prove that the eigenvalue obtained with mass‐lumping is above the exact eigenvalue when the mesh size is small enough. So, we conclude that the use of mass‐lumping is convenient in the singular case. When the eigenfunction is smooth several numerical experiments suggest that the eigenvalue computed with mass‐lumping is below the exact one if the mesh is not too coarse. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 19: 653–664, 2003     

Kinetics of proton transfer in a green fluorescent protein: A laser-induced pH jump study

The sub-millisecond protonation dynamics of the chromophore in S65T mutant form of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) was tracked after a rapid pH jump following laser-induced proton release from the caged photolabile compoundo-nitrobenzaldehyde. Following a jump in pH from 8 to 5 (which is achieved within 2 μs), the fluorescence of S65T GFP decreased as a single exponential with a time constant of ∼90 μs. This decay is interpreted as the conversion of the deprotonated fluorescent GFP chromophore to a protonated non-fluorescent species. The protonation kinetics showed dependence on the bulk viscosity of the solvent, and therefore implicates bulk solvent-controlled protein dynamics in the protonation process. The protonation is proposed to be a sequential process involving two steps: (a) proton transfer from solvent to the chromophore, and (b) internal structural rearrangements to stabilize a protonated chromophore. The possible implications of these observations to protein dynamics in general is discussed     

Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis transitions of partially and fully substituted cellulose fatty esters

The main transitions of cellulose fatty esters with different degrees of substitution (DSs) were investigated with dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. Two distinct main relaxations were observed in partially substituted cellulose esters (PSCEs). They were attributed to the glass‐transition temperature and to the chain local motion of the aliphatic substituents. The temperatures of both transitions decreased when DS or the number of carbon atoms (n) of the acyl substituent increased. Conversely, all the transitions of fully substituted cellulose esters occurred within a narrow temperature range, and they did not vary significantly with n. This phenomenon was explained by the formation of a crystalline phase of the fatty substituents. The presence of few residual OH groups in PSCEs was responsible for a large increase in the storage bending modulus, and it eliminated the effect of n on damping. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 281–288, 2003     

Effects of Polymer Bridging and Electrostatics on the Rheological Behavior of Aqueous Colloidal Dispersions†

Effects of a low molecular weight physically adsorbed polyethylene oxide (PEO) and the range of the electrostatic repulsion on the rheological behavior of silica dispersions (as a model system) has been investigated. Particular attention is given to the evolution of the rheological behavior with increasing the polymer concentration in the system and also effectiveness of the polymer as a dispersant under extreme conditions (high ionic strength). Results indicate that at small separation distances and low polymer coverage, the polymer chains are long enough to adsorb on the surface of two particles simultaneously causing bridging flocculation in the system and hence increasing the viscosity and linear viscoelastic functions of the dispersion. A significant increase was observed in the viscosity of the dispersion at salt concentrations high enough to eliminate electrostatics between the particles. Under these conditions,the viscosity of the system increased significantly when PEO was added to the dispersion showing that at high electrolyte concentrations, a neutral polymer such as PEO is not able to stabilize the system.     

On p-Extensions of Fields of Characteristic p

It is proved that a Galois extension of a field of characteristic p is completely determined by its Galois group and the endomorphism of the additive group of the group algebra that corresponds to the raising to the power p.     

Generalized Artin–Hasse and Iwasawa Formulas for the Hilbert Symbol in a High-Dimensional Local Field

The generalized Hilbert symbol in a cyclotomic extension of an absolutely unramified higher local field of characteristic 0 with a perfect last residue field of characteristic p > 2 is considered. Generalized Artin–Hasse and Iwasawa formulas are derived from an explicit Kummer Type Vostokov formula. Bibliography: 13 titles.     

Projective varieties with projectively equivalent singular 0-dimensional sections

Fix integers m, n such that 1 ≤ m ≤ n ? 3. Let X ? Pⁿ be an integral non-degenerate m-dimensional variety. Assume either char(K) = 0 or char(K) > deg(X). Here we prove that all general 0-dimensional sections of X containing a tangent vector to a smooth point of X are protectively equivalent if and only if n ? m + 1 ≤ deg(X) ≤ n ? m + 2.     

Multipulse regimes of excitation of optical superradiance due to a two-photon transition

Multimode triggered optical superradiance due to a two-photon transition is theoretically studied. Kinetic equations are derived for the dynamics of cooperative development of coherence and population inversion of optical centers interacting with each other through a common field of emitted photons. Various regimes of triggering of optical superradiance due to a two-photon transition are considered. The possibility of creating a quantum photomultiplier on the basis of the triggered optical superradiance is discussed.