Treatment of corners in BIE analysis of potential problems

At corners or edges in the boundary of the domain of a potential problem the local normal gradient of potential is double-valued. When Dirichlet boundary conditions are specified there are thus two unknowns at a single nodal point, and the sets of equations resulting from the usual BIE discretization are rendered indeterminate. We discuss here earlier approaches to the resolving of this problem, and describe a further approach which appears to offer some advantages. Both normal gradients can be approximated directly from local potential boundary conditions, showing the problem indeed to be formally overdetermined. This ability is discarded, in favour of yielding a robust and well-conditioned relationship between the two gradients. This, in conjunction with the BIE analysis, permits solutions of considerable accuracy to be found, including the gradients at such corner nodes. Illustrative calculations are presented for rectilinear and curvilinear domains. These show that, even with as few elements as there are corners, and thus one and a half times as many unknowns as there are nodal points, good approximations to the gradients can be obtained. The need for progressively finer discretization as a corner is approached is thus much reduced.     

Semiconductors of the type MeIIMeIVS3

Ternary compounds of the type Me^IIMe^IVS₃ with the elements Me^II = Sn, Pb and Me^IV = Ge, Sn form two isotypic groups, with orthorhombic (Me^IISn^IVS₃) and monoclinic (Me^IIGe^IVS₃) symmetry respectively. Single crystals of sufficiently large size have been prepared to examine some basic physical properties. Results on electrical conductivity, and optical absorption measurements at the fundamental electronic gap are reported. They will be discussed with respect to the crystal structures.     

Finite element analysis of polymer melt flow in cable-covering crossheads

A finite element method is presented for the analysis of isothermal non-Newtonian polymer melt flow in narrow channels of complex shape. The particular application considered is flow in cable-covering crossheads. The geometric flexibility of the finite element method allows a mesh of triangular elements to be constructed to suit the shape of the flow channel. Computed results obtainable from the analysis include the distribution of polymer layer thickness on the finished cable, together with the extrusion pressure required to maintain a given flow rate of melt. Some typical thickness distribution results are presented as an introduction to experimental verification of the method and its application to crosshead design.     

Crystal structure of the laser material NdP5O14

The pseudo-orthorombic crystal structure of NdP₅O₁₄ was determined from three-dimensional MoKα diffractometer data. The true space group is P2₁/c, the lattice constants are $\text{a}\text{= 8.7672}\text{,}\text{b}\text{= 8.9948}\text{,}\text{c}\text{= 13.0326}\text{A}\text{?}\text{,}\text{β}\text{90.48°}$, and there are four formula units per unit cell. The final R-factor with 3881 independent reflections was 0.038. The structure is built-up with discrete anionic ribbons linked by the cations in a complex way. The coordination of the cation by oxygen atoms is eight-fold with the geometry of a square antiprism.     

Iodine-131-anti-B1 radioimmunotherapy for B-cell lymphoma

PURPOSE: The CD20 B-lymphocyte surface antigen expressed by B-cell lymphomas is an attractive target for radioimmunotherapy, treatment using radiolabeled antibodies. We conducted a phase I dose-escalation trial to assess the toxicity, tumor targeting, and efficacy of nonmyeloablative doses of an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (anti-B1) labeled with iodine-131 (131I) in 34 patients with B-cell lymphoma who had failed chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were first given tracelabeled doses of 131I-labeled anti-B1 (15 to 20 mg, 5 mCi) to assess radiolabeled antibody biodistribution, and then a radioimmunotherapeutic dose (15 to 20 mg) labeled with a quantity of 131I that would deliver a specified centigray dose of whole-body radiation predicted by the tracer dose. Whole-body radiation doses were escalated from 25 to 85 cGy in sequential groups of patients in 10-cGy increments. To evaluate if radiolabeled antibody biodistribution could be optimized, initial patients were given one or two additional tracer doses on successive weeks, each dose preceded by an infusion of 135 mg of unlabeled anti-B1 one week and 685 mg the next. The unlabeled antibody dose resulting in the most optimal tracer biodistribution was also given before the radioimmunotherapeutic dose. Later patients were given a single tracer dose and radioimmunotherapeutic dose preceded by infusion of 685 mg of unlabeled anti-B1. RESULTS: Treatment was well tolerated. Hematologic toxicity was dose-limiting, and 75 cGy was established as the maximally tolerated whole-body radiation dose. Twenty-eight patients received radioimmunotherapeutic doses of 34 to 161 mCi, resulting in complete remission in 14 patients and a partial response in eight. All 13 patients with low-grade lymphoma responded, and 10 achieved a complete remission. Six of eight patients with transformed lymphoma responded. Thirteen of 19 patients whose disease was resistant to their last course of chemotherapy and all patients with chemotherapy-sensitive disease responded. The median duration of complete remission exceeds 16.5 months. Six patients remain in complete remission 16 to 31 months after treatment. CONCLUSION: Nonmyeloablative radioimmunotherapy with 131I-anti-B1 is associated with a high rate of durable remissions in patients with B-cell lymphoma refractory to chemotherapy.     

Classification and nomenclature of viruses. Summarized proceedings of International Committee for Virus Taxonomy]

An inducible membrane-bound L-4-hydroxymandelate oxidase (decarboxylating) from Pseudomonas convexa has been solubilized and partially purified. It catalyzes the conversion of L-4-hydroxymandelic acid to 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde in a single step with the stoichiometric consumption of O2 and liberation of CO2. The enzyme is optimally active at pH 6.6 and at 55 degrees C. It requires FAD and Mn2+ for its activity. The membrane-bound enzyme is more stable than the solubilized and purified enzyme. After solubilization it gradually loses its activity when kept at 5 degrees C which can be fully reactivated by freezing and thawing. The Km values for DL-4-hydroxymandelate and FAD are 0.44 mM and 0.038 mM respectively. The enzyme is highly specific for DL-4-hydroxymandelic acid. DL-3,4-Dihydroxymandelic acid competitively inhibited the enzyme reaction. From the Dixon plot the Ki for DL-3,4-dihydroxymandelic acid was calculated to be 1.8 X 10(-4) M. The enzyme is completely inactivated by thiol compounds and not affected by thiol inhibitors. The enzyme is also inhibited by denaturing agents, heavy metal ions and by chelating agents.     

A local boundary integral equation method for potential problems

Boundary integral equation (boundary element) methods have the advantage over other commonly used numerical methods that they do not require values of the unknowns at points within the solution domain to be computed. Further benefits would be obtained if attention could be confined to information at one small part of the boundary, the particular region of interest in a given problem. A local boundary integral equation method based on a Taylor series expansion of the unknown function is developed to do this for two-dimensional potential problems governed by Laplace's equation. Very accurate local values of the function and its derivatives can be obtained. The method should find particular application in the efficient refinement of approximate solutions obtained by other numerical techniques.     

An instrument for mass analysis using a laser

An apparatus has been constructed that will give a complete elemental analysis of a solid sample in the size range 10^–8 to 10^–10 g. The beam from aQ-switched ruby laser is focused on to the sample, and the ions produced are used to give time resolved spectra. Analysis of several types of sample is described, illustrating the capabilities and limitations of the instrument.