A Refractive INdex Gradient (RING) diagnostic for transientdischarges or expansions of vapor or plasmas

The refractive index gradient (RING) diagnostic described uses a fast, silicon, photodiode quadrant detector with a differential amplifier to temporally detect the refraction of a CW laser by transient discharges or expansions of vapor, gas, or plasma. The method is a local one-dimensional time-resolved, quantitative, species-discriminating (i.e., atoms or electrons) Schlieren technique. The diagnostic is easy to field, sensitive (the minimum deflection angles detectable are ≈0.3 μrad), and fast (risetime=11±1 ns). Circuit design, performance, and diagnostic theory are discussed. To illustrate the utility of this technique, examples of measurements on LEVIS (laser evaporation ion source), a laser-produced, active, lithium ion source, are given. Measured properties include vapor/plasma production thresholds, expansion velocities, and time-resolved gradient and density spatial profiles. Comparisons of the RING results with measurements using a Faraday cup and a double-floating Langmuir probe are presented     

An improved error bound for a finite element approximation of a model for phase separation of a multi-component alloy

Using the approach of Rulla (1996 SIAM J. Numer. Anal. 33, 68-87)for analysing the time discretization error and assuming moreregularity on the initial data, we improve on the error boundderived by Barrett and Blowey (1996 IMA J. Numer. Anal. 16,257-287) for a fully practical piecewise linear finite elementapproximation with a backward Euler time discretization of amodel for phase separation of a multi-component alloy.     

Finite element approximation of a model for phase separation of a multi-component alloy with a concentration-dependent mobility matrix

We consider a model for phase separation of a multi-componentalloy with a concentration-dependent mobility matrix and logarithmicfree energy. In particular we prove that there exists a uniquesolution for sufficiently smooth initial data. Further, we provean error bound for a fully practical piecewise linear finiteelement approximation in one and two space dimensions. Finallynumerical experiments with three components in one space dimensionare presented.     

Pharmacophore Reassignment for Induction of the Immunosurveillance Cytokine TRAIL

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL) is an immunosurveillance cytokine that kills cancer cells but demonstrates little toxicity against normal cells. While investigating the TRAIL‐inducing imidazolinopyrimidinone TIC10, a misassignment of its active structure was uncovered. Syntheses of the two isomers, corresponding to the published and reassigned structures, are reported. The ability of each to induce TRAIL expression in macrophages was investigated and it was found that only the compound corresponding to the reassigned structure shows the originally reported activity; the compound corresponding to the published structure is inactive. Importantly, this structural reassignment has furnished a previously unknown antitumor pharmacophore.