Some algorithms for hemiequilibrium problems

In this paper, we suggest and analyze a class of iterative methods for solving hemiequilibrium problems using the auxiliary principle technique. We prove that the convergence of these new methods either requires partially relaxed strongly monotonicity or pseudomonotonicity, which is a weaker condition than monotonicity. Results obtained in this paper include several new and known results as special cases.     

Modified Householder iterative method free from second derivatives for nonlinear equations

In this paper, we suggest and analyze a new two-step predictor–corrector type iterative method free from second derivatives for solving nonlinear equations of the type f(x)=0. This new method includes the two-step Newton method as a special case. We prove that the new iterative method is of fourth-order. Several examples are given to illustrate the efficiency of this new method and its comparison with other iterative methods. This method can be considered as a significant improvement of the Newton method and its variant forms.     

1,1‐Organoboration of bis(trimethylstannyl)ethyne with trimethylsilyl‐ and dimethylsilyl‐dialkylboryl‐substituted alkenes: organometallic‐substituted allenes

The reactions of bis(trimethylstannyl)ethyne, Me₃Sn–C?C–SnMe₃ ( 4 ), with trimethylsilyl‐ or dimethylsilyl‐dialkylboryl‐substituted alkenes 1 – 3 afford organometallic‐substituted allenes 5 , 6 and 8 , 9 in high yield. In the case of (E)‐2‐trimethylsilyl‐3‐diethylboryl‐2‐pentene ( 1) , a butadiene derivative 7 could be detected as an intermediate prior to rearrangement into the allene. All reactions were monitored by ²⁹Si and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR, and the products were characterized by an extensive NMR data set (¹H, ¹¹B, ¹³C, ²⁹Si, ¹¹⁹Sn NMR). Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Exact solutions of solid-liquid phase-change heat transfer when subjected to convective boundary conditions

A closed-form expression is presented to find the location of solid-liquid interface motion in convection-dominated solidification and melting problems. In this regard, the solutions are expressed in terms of the generalized representations of error functions,E (u, v) andF (u, v), which are useful to heat-conduction problems with convective-type boundary conditions. It is demonstrated that for constant surface temperature, the interface solution reduces to the classical Neumann solution.     

Annihilation contributions in B→K<Subscript>1</Subscript>γ decay in next-to-leading order in LEET and CP-asymmetry

The effect of weak annihilation and u-quark penguin contribution on the branching ratio B→K₁γ at next-to-leading order of α_s are calculated using the LEET approach. It is shown that the value of the LEET form factor remains the same in the range of the unitarity triangle phase α favored by the standard model. The CP-asymmetry for the above mentioned decay has been calculated, and its suppression due to the hard-spectator correction has also been incorporated. In addition, the sensitivity of the CP-asymmetry on the underlying parameters has been discussed.     

Soft-laser scanning densitometry performed on a 35-mm slide illustrating SDS-PAGE separation of adenovirion polypeptides

Virion polypeptides (35 S), methionine-labeled and purified by CsCl gradient centrifugation, were separated by SDS-gel electrophoresis. Analysis of their band pattern was performed by scanning the images of the SDS-gels shown on a 35-mm slide. The densitometric tracings revealed the presence of 17 protein bands, although only 15 of them were visible to the naked eye. The high sensitivity and resolving capacities of the soft-laser scanning densitometer enabled us to detect trace amounts of protein bands separated in SDS-gels and to obtain a resolution compatible to that of electrophoresis. Fourfold electronic amplification of the densitometric tracings, produced by a computer, generated new information regarding the pattern of the electrophoregram. The facility to amplify peaks of importance is particularly advantageous when faint or overlapping protein bands revealed on a gel are assessed.     

Aqueous phenylacetic acid as a low-dose fluorescence dosimeter

Total fluorescence of aqueous phenylacetic acid system at neutral pH has been evaluated as low-dose -ray chemical dosimeter, using the fluorescence accessory of a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The useful working range of the system is from 4 to 70 Gy. The postirradiation stability of the dosimeter response has been studied at different pH's, storage temperatures and light conditions. The post-irradiation stability of the dosimeter decreases with an increase in storage temperature. The stability is not affected in diffuse sunlight but it is very unstable in direct sunlight.     

A Study of the Uptake of Toluidine Blue O by Porphyromonas gingivalis and the Mechanism of Lethal Photosensitization

The purpose of the study was to determine the distribution of the photosensitizer toluidine blue O (TBO) within Porphyromonas gingivalis and the possible mechanism(s) involved in the lethal photosensitization of this organism. The distribution of TBO was determined by incubating P. gingivalis with tritiated TBO (³H-TBO) and fractionating the cells into outer membrane (OM), plasma membrane (PM), cytoplasmic proteins, other cytoplasmic constituents and DNA. The percentage of TBO in each of the fractions was found to be, 86.7, 5.4, 1.9, 5.7 and 0.3%, respectively. The involvement of cytotoxic species in the lethal photosensitization induced by light from a helium-neon (HeNe) laser and TBO was investigated by using deuterium oxide (D₂O), which prolongs the lifetime of singlet oxygen, and the free radical and singlet oxygen scavenger L-tryptophan. There were 9.0 log₁₀ and 2 log₁₀ reductions in the presence of D₂O and H₂O (saline solutions), respectively, at a light dose of 0.44 J (energy density = 0.22 J/cm²), suggesting the involvement of singlet oxygen. Decreased kills were attained in the presence of increasing concentrations of L-tryptophan. The effect of lethal photosensitization on whole cell proteins was determined by measuring tryptophan fluorescence, which decreased by 30% using 4.3 J (energy density = 4.3 J/ cm²) of light. Effects on the OM and PM proteins were determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. There was evidence of change in the molecular masses of several PM proteins and OM proteins compared to controls. There was evidence of damage to the DNA obtained from irradiated cells. Scanning electron microscopic studies showed that there was coaggre-gation of P. gingivalis cells when sensitized and then exposed to laser light. These results suggest that lethal photosensitization of P. gingivalis may involve changes in OM and/or PM proteins and DNA damage mediated by singlet oxygen.     

SINGLE- and DOUBLE-STRAND BREAK FORMATION IN DOUBLE-STRANDED DNA UPON NANOSECOND LASER-INDUCED PHOTOIONIZATION

Double-stranded (ds) calf thymus DNA (0.4 mM), excited by 20 ns laser pulses at 248 nm, was studied in deoxygenated aqueous solution at room temperature and pH 6.7 in the presence of a sodium salt (10 mM). The quantum yields for the formation of hydrated electrons (phi c-), single-strand breaks (phi ssb) and double-strand breaks (phi dsb) were determined for various laser pulse intensities (IL). phi c- and phi ssb increase linearly with increasing IL; however, phi ssb has a tendency to reach saturation at high IL (greater than 5 X 10(6) Wcm-2). The ratio phi ssb/phi c-, representing the number of ssb per radical cation, is about 0.08 at IL less than or equal to 5 X 10(6) Wcm-2. For comparison, the number of ssb per OH radical reacting with dsDNA is 0.22. On going from argon to N2O saturation, phi ssb and phi dsb become larger by factors of approximately 5 and 10-15, respectively. This enhancement is produced by attack on DNA bases by OH radicals generated by N2O-scavenging of the photoelectrons. While phi ssb is essentially independent of the dose (Etot), phi dsb depends linearly on Etot in both argon- and N2O-saturated solutions. The linear dependence of phi dsb implies a square dependence of the number of dsb on Etot. This portion of dsb formation is explained by the occurrence of two random ssb, generated within a critical distance (h) in opposite strands. For both argon- and N2O-saturated solutions h was found to be of the order of 40-70 phosphoric acid diester bonds. On addition of electron scavengers such as 2-chloroethanol (or N2O plus t-butanol), phi dsb is similar to that in neat, argon-saturated solutions. Thus, hydrated electrons are not involved in the chemical pathway leading to laser-pulse-induced dsb of DNA.