DETECTION OF DNA-PSORALEN PHOTOADDUCTS in situ

Abstract— An immunological method, with the use of specific immune serum, has been developed for detection of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) photoadducts to DNA, formed in situ in cell nuclei, after combined treatment with 8MOP and UV-A irradiation (Zarçbska et al. , 1978). Lymphocytes fixed on slides or in suspension, and cryostat sections of different mammalian tissues, served as antigenic substrate, after treatment with 8-MOP and UV-A in vitro. Specific fluorescence in these substrates was detected in the nuclei after treatment with 30 ˜ 140 kJ/m² UV-A in the presence of 0.1-0.3 μg/cm² 8-MOP. PHA-stimulated-lymphocytes appeared to be the most sensitive substrate.
However, hairless mice treated with high doses of UV-A in vivo , 70 ˜ 360 kJ/m² did not reveal a specific fluorescence of epidermal nuclei, unless a high local concentration of 8-MOP was attained.
The apparent discrepancy in the level of photoadduct detection between the in vitro and in vivo treated specimens was explained by the low number of DNA-8-MOP-photoadducts formed in vivo under these experimental conditions. The relevance of these findings to the role of DNA-8-MOP-photoadducts formed during PUVA photochemotherapy is discussed.     

Natural convection over a vertical flat plate due to absorption of thermal radiation

Heat transfer by simultaneous free convection and radiation in a participating fluid has received some attention during the past few years. However most of the previous work has been focussed on gases. The present work investigates the problem of combined radiation and natural convection in liquids. Analysis are given for an optically thick cold fluid layer adjacent to a non-emitting and non-reflecting radiation-transmitting plate. The external surface of the plate is subjected to heat loss to surroundings. The governing differential equations are transformed to a dimensionless form where the solution becomes dependent on the following parameters: the plate absorpitivity,α _p; the dimensionless distance along the plate,ζ; the fluid Prandtl number,Pr; and dimensionless heat loss coefficient to surrounding,N _c. A local non-similar technique is adopted to obtain solutions atPr=6.5 and at a wide range ofα _p,ζ, andN _c. The results showed that both velocity and temperature are non-similar and they are greatly affected by the value ofα _p whenζ is small. At large values of f the effect ofα _p diminishes and for a plate without heat loss the velocity becomes similar, i.e. independent of C The heat loss from the external surface of the plate causes the maximum temperature of the fluid to depart far from the plate. The results also showed that for plates without heat loss the local heat transfer coefficient from the plate depends on the local Grashof number to the power 0.185.     

ON QUOTIENTS OF BRAID GROUPS

ABSTRACT.

Let G be the group ?[t, t ^?1] x ?. By studying the action of the braid group B_n on the set Gⁿ , we obtain representations of B_n into a wreath product of the symmetric group and the general linear group over ?[t, t ^?1]. This in particular recovers the Burau representation of the braid group. Furthermore, some quotients of the braid group are obtained by using the representations found.     

Characterization of partially transesterified poly(beta-hydroxyalkanoate)s using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) was used for the characterization of a partially transesterified poly(beta-hydroxyalkanoate), PHA, polymer produced by the bacterial strain Alcaligenes eutrophus using saponified vegetable oils as the sole carbon sources. The transesterification was carried out separately under acidic and basic conditions to obtain PHA oligomers weighing less than 10 kDa. The intact oligomers were detected in their cationized [M + Na](+) and [M + K](+) forms by MALDI-TOFMS. A composition analysis, using the MALDI-TOF spectra, indicate that the oligomers obtained via acid catalysis were terminated with a methyl 3-hydroxybutyrate end group, and those obtained by base catalysis had a methyl crotonate (olefinic) termination. In addition to HB (hydroxy butyrate), the oligomers were found to contain a small percentage of HV (hydroxy valerate). This was independently confirmed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In comparison, the analysis of a commercial PHA polymer, transesterified under identical conditions, only showed the presence of HB, i.e. a pure PHB homopolymer. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Natural convection due to solar radiation over a non-absorbing plate with and without heat losses

Natural convection over a non-reflecting, non-absorbing, ideally transparent semi-infinite vertical flat plate due to absorption of incident radiation (solar radiation) is considered. The absorbed radiation acts as a distributed source which initiates buoyancy-driven flow and convection in the absorbing layer. The plate when heated by the absorbing fluid loses heat to the surroundings from its external side. Solution of the governing equations of the flow under these circumstances is non-similar because of both the heat source term in the energy equation and the temperature boundary condition at the plate. A local non-similar technique is used to obtain solutions for a wide range of the dimensionless distance along the plate and of the dimensionless loss coefficient to the surroundings. The results show that the temperature distribution has a maximum temperature in the depth of the fluid rather than on the plate. A new definition for a local heat transfer coefficient between the plate and the absorbing fluid is introduced which is based on the local maximum temperature rise in the fluid. A formula to calculate this heat transfer coefficient is given for the anticipated range of the loss coefficient.     

More efficient Brownian dynamics algorithms

We examine the relative efficiencies of three- algorithms for performing Brownian Dynamics simulations without many-body hydrodynamics. We compare the conventional Brownian Dynamics algorithm of Ermak (CBD), Smart Monte Carlo (SMC) which incorporates Boltzmann sampling into essentially a CBD procedure, and the Stochastic Runge Kutta (SRK) method. We show, using the repulsive potential φ(r) = ε(σ/r) ⁿ , where n = 36 and 72, that the SRK algorithm gives the most accurate short-time dynamics for the mean-square displacements. The SRK algorithm static and dynamical properties converge better with a reducing time step to the exact values, than those generated by the CBD algorithm; giving efficiency gains typically of a factor of 3–4. Both CBD and SMC have the incorrect sign for the first correction term to the mean square displacement in a time step, whereas the SRK algorithm gives essentially the exact solution to order Δt ², where Δt is the simulation time step. In fact, these correction terms are almost equal and opposite in sign. Expressions for these terms were derived in terms of the average interaction energy per particle. The force, shear and bulk stress autocorrelation functions were calculated. The average energy per particle and time correlation functions at short time have values in excess of the exact values, while the corresponding quantities for SRK are below this. This difference in behaviour can be traced back to the extent of compliance of the particle trajectories with the exact expansion of the Smoluchowski equation. The accuracy, at a given value of the time step, of the stochastic algorithms can significantly depend on the form of the interaction potential between particles. It is also demonstrated that the long time limits of various correlation functions are fairly insensitive to a particular scheme (SRK or CBD) used in the simulations. All the correlation functions have a stretched exponential region at intermediate to long times, and the values of the exponents on density and force law steepness have been determined.     

Simultaneous convection and radiation in flow between two parallel plates

A numerical solution is described for simultaneous forced convection and radiation in flow between two parallel plates forming ahannel. The front plate is transparent to thermal radiation while the back one is thermally insulated. Analyses for both flow and heat are presented for the case of a non-emitting ‘blackened’ fluid. The governing equations of the stream function and the temperature together with their boundary conditions are presented in non-dimensional expressions. The solution is found to depend on eight dimensionless parameters, namely the ratio of the height of the channel to the distance between the plates, the initial dimensionless temperature, the optical thickness, the absorptivities of both plates, the Reynolds number, the Prandtl number and the heat transfer coefficient from the front plate to the surroundings. The numerical solution is obtained using a finite-difference technique. A study has been made of the effect of the initial temperature of the flow at the channel inlet, the dimensionless loss coefficient from the front plate, the absorptivity of the back plate and the optical thickness, on the temperature distribution in the channel, the heat collection efficiency and the average temperature rise in the channel. Results showed that increasing the optical thickness increases the temperature of the front plate and decreases the temperature of the back plate. Also, increasing the optical thickness increases the efficiency of heat collection, which reaches its maximum asymptotic value at an optical thickness of about 1.5. Moreover, the location of the maximum temperature is found to depend on both the optical thickness and the dimensionless heat loss coefficient from the front plate.     

Combined absorption-desiccant solar powered air conditioning system

This article presents a combined absorption-desiccant high performance airconditioning system suitable for hot humid areas. A LiBr-H₂O absorption machine is powered by medium concentrators with a collection temperature of 140°C. The heat released in the absorption system condenser at 75°C is used for firing a silica gel (desiccant) dehumidifier. This consists of 2 silica gel beds of the cross flow type working alternatively in series with the absorption machine one bed at a time.The system is analyzed and the mathematical model with the governing equations are given. Results of the analysis are shown for the silica gel beds over an assumed working period duration.