On Hecke theory for Hermitian modular forms

In this paper we outline the Hecke theory for Hermitian modular forms in the sense of Hel Braun for arbitrary class number of the attached imaginary-quadratic number field. The Hecke algebra turns out to be commutative. Its inert part has a structure analogous to the case of the Siegel modular group and coincides with the tensor product of its $p$-components for inert primes $p$. This leads to a characterization of the associated Siegel-Eisenstein series. The proof also involves Hecke theory for particular congruence subgroups

A modified parallel artificial membrane permeability assay for evaluating the bioconcentration of highly hydrophobic chemicals in fish

Low cost in vitro tools are needed at the screening stage of assessment of bioaccumulation potential of new and existing chemicals because the number of chemical substances that needs to be tested highly exceeds the capacity of in vivo bioconcentration tests. Thus, the parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) system was modified to predict passive uptake/elimination rate in fish. To overcome the difficulties associated with low aqueous solubility and high membrane affinity of highly hydrophobic chemicals, we measured the rate of permeation from the donor poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) disk to the acceptor PDMS disk through aqueous and PDMS membrane boundary layers and term the modified PAMPA system “PDMS-PAMPA”. Twenty chemicals were selected for validation of PDMS-PAMPA. The measured permeability is proportional to the passive elimination rate constant in fish and was used to predict the “minimum” in vivo elimination rate constant. The in vivo data were very close to predicted values except for a few polar chemicals and metabolically active chemicals, such as pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene. Thus, PDMS-PAMPA can be an appropriate in vitro system for nonmetabolizable chemicals. Combination with metabolic clearance rates using a battery of metabolic degradation assays would enhance the applicability for metabolizable chemicals