UNSCHEDULED DNA SYNTHESIS: A QUANTITATIVE INDICATOR OF RESIDUAL IMMUNODETECTABLE PYRIMIDINE DIMERS IN HUMAN FIBROBLASTS AFTER ULTRAVIOLET-B IRRADIATION

We have addressed the question whether the level of UV-B induced DNA damage can be accurately assessed by the measurement of the rate of unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS). Cultured human fibroblasts were irradiated with UV radiation at 290, 313 or 365 nm. The LD50 was 85 J/m2 at 290 nm, 4500 J/m2 at 313 nm, and 70 kJ/m2 at 365 nm. The analysis of UDS measurements indicate complete arrest of repair processes within 24 h after irradiation, irrespective of the dose (in the range 10-60 J/m2 at 290 nm, and 250-1000 J/m2 at 313 nm). Irradiation at 365 nm failed to yield detectable evidence of UDS. Incubation of irradiated cells with an antiserum directed against both 6-4 type and cyclobutane-type pyrimidine dimers shows a clear parallelism between the disappearance of the antibody-binding determinants and the variation of the rate of UDS vs time after the end of the irradiation. Thus it is concluded that in UV-B irradiated normal cultured human fibroblasts, the lack of UDS reflects the absence of immunodetectable pyrimidine dimers.     

Collocation Methods for Weakly Singular Second-kind Volterra Integral Equations with Non-smooth Solution

Collocation type methods are studied for the numerical solutionof the weakly singular Volterra integral equation of the secondkind: where the solution (t) is assumedto have the form f(t) = x(t)+r^?(t), x and being sufficientlysmooth. The solution is approximated near zero by a linear combinationof powers of t?, and away from zero by the usual polynomialrepresentation. Convergence is proved and many numerical experimentsare carried out with examples from the literature. A comparisonis made with a method of Brunner & Norsett (1981), originallydeveloped for (1) with a smooth solution. Special attentionis paid to the numerical approximation of the so-called momentintegrals which emerge in the collocation scheme.     

Vibration-rotation bands in ethane

The absorption spectrum of ethane was recorded at 0.014 cm^?1 resolution in the range 4500–6500 cm^?1 using a Fourier transform spectrometer and at room temperature. Eighteen bands could be identified and their type assigned. Upper state rotational constants are provided for the band at 5948.338 cm^?1 and Coriolis constants are obtained for most perpendicular bands. Vibrational assignments are suggested for the bands at 5948 cm^?1 (v7 + v10), 5914 cm^?1(v8 + v ₁₀+ v ₁₁), and 5852cm^?1 (v ₅+v ₁₀). All vibrational bands reported in the literature are gathered.     

From Koszul duality to Poincaré duality

We discuss the notion of Poincaré duality for graded algebras and its connections with the Koszul duality for quadratic Koszul algebras. The relevance of the Poincaré duality is pointed out for the existence of twisted potentials associated to Koszul algebras as well as for the extraction of a good generalization of Lie algebras among the quadratic-linear algebras.     

A Storage-Efficient Algorithm for Finding the Regularized Solution of a Large, Inconsistent System of Equations

We propose an algorithm which for any real number r, any k ?l matrix M and any k-vector y, finds the l-vector x which minimizes||x||² – r²||Mx – y||², i.e. it finds the "regularized"solution to the equation Mx = y. (|| || denotes the 2-norm.)The algorithm is iterative with the following properties: (i)in a single step it needs access to only one row of the matrixM, (ii) it needs to store only the present estimate of the solution(size l) and a "residual vector" of size k, (iii) in a singlestep it updates only one component of the residual vector. Becauseof these properties the algorithm has been found useful in "solving"very large inconsistent systems of equations. Convergence ofthe algorithm to the desired solution is proved and the rateof convergence of the algorithm is illustrated. The algorithmis considered here, not because it is believed to be generallysuperior to more commonly used iterative methods, but becausefor certain very large problems it may be the only feasiblemethod from the point of view of storage requirements.     

Orientational ordering in some nematogens deviating from the classical rod-shape

Several new laterally substituted liquid crystalline compounds have been synthesized. They have the same main core which contains four rings (two aromatic, two alicyclic) with two lateral substituents introduced on the same side of one of the inner rings. One of the substituents is a 4-X-benzyloxy group (X=CH3,CN,Cl) and the other is a hexyloxy chain. The presence of the lateral aromatic substituent makes these compounds deviate markedly from the classical rod-shape. However, a wide enantiotropic nematic phase is present for all the compounds. The order parameters of the chain and the para -disubstituted aromatic rings were obtained by using a 2D 13C NMR technique with variable angle spinning. The temperature dependence of the order parameters was estimated using 13C chemical shifts with slow spinning of the sample parallel to the magnetic field. The results indicate that the two lateral substituents are more or less folded back along the mesogenic core. Thus, the flexible lateral chain is found to be roughly aligned with the molecular long axis, whereas the para axis of the less flexible aromatic branch makes a considerable angle with the molecular long axis imposed by the core, substantially increasing the mean width of the molecule. The core ordering does not seem to be influenced by the type and position of the substituents. The folding back of the lateral chain and the substantial tilt of the lateral aromatic branch with respect to the core main axis are confirmed by the X-ray structure of a parent compound.     

Lattice Forces in Heavy Metal Picrates: Structural Characterization of Lead and Mercury Species

Structure determinations for the dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) solvate of lead(II) picrate (picrate = pic = 2,4,6-trinitrophenoxide), formally a centrosymmetric dimer, [Pb₂(dmso)₄(pic)₄], and for unsolvated mercury(I) picrate, a polymer of conventional mercurous dimers, [Hg₂(pic)₂] _n , show that, despite considerable differences in the form of the metal unit, there are remarkable similarities in the mode of coordination of the bridging picrate ligands. In both lattices, parallel arrays of picrate rings can be discerned but appear to be associated with short N…O, O…O or O…C contacts rather than C…C. In the Pb compound, there is also evidence of intramolecular contacts to dmso-S.     

COMPONENT ALLEE EFFECTS AND STAGE‐SPECIFIC PREDATION: A BRIEF INSIGHT INTO CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGICAL CONTROL ISSUES

In this paper, we propose a two‐stage structured population model subject to component Allee effects in fecundity and maturation, and with two disturbances (predation only and harvest and predation) acting on both stages. It is shown that this combination leads to a demographic Allee effect—a characteristic that could be exploited in pest biological control, but on the other hand, it represents a bane in conservation biology. The analysis is performed for disturbances with functional responses type 2 and 3, and the models show that they yield qualitatively similar results. This characteristic is discussed from the species conservation and biological control point of view, together with possible extensions of this work.     

Therapy burden, drug resistance, and optimal treatment regimen for cancer chemotherapy

Email: boldrini{at}ime.unicamp.brAuthor to whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: michel{at}Incc.br Three nonlinear models of tumour cell growth under continuousdelivery of cycle nonspecific anticancer agents are studied.A dynamical optimization problem with the objective of minimizingthe final level of tumour cells is posed for these mathematicalsetups. The simplest setup does not possess toxicity constraints,whereas the other setups contain a dynamical equation describingthe therapy burden as a toxicity criterion. In addition, thethird setting contains the dynamics of drug resistant cells.A discussion conceming the optimal strategies of the respectivemodels is performed.