A Fully Synthetic Globo H Carbohydrate Vaccine Induces a Focused Humoral Response in Prostate Cancer Patients: A Proof of Principle

Human trials on the globo H carbohydrate vaccine (see picture, KLH=the carrier protein keyhole limpet hemocyanin) show that it produces strong IgM, and in some cases IgG, responses in patients with progressive and recurrent prostate cancer. Furthermore, these antibodies not only recognize synthetic antigens, but also globo H‐positive tumors in biopsy extracts and tumor tissues.     

Molecular surface generation using marching tetrahedra

A method is presented to generate and triangulate molecular surfaces rapidly. It is based on the ‘marching tetrahedra’ approach. The method is fast, simple and easy to implement. Our approach is not analytical in nature. Hence no special treatment is required for complications with singularity, degeneracy, or with self-intersecting re-entrant surfaces. A quick test for determining the solvent accessibility of a point in space forms an important part of the method. This test has potential use outside of the surface generation algorithm such as in molecular field analysis where the solvent accessibility of a point needs to be determined. The triangulated surface generated is suitable for molecular graphics display as well as boundary element continuum dielectric calculations. © 1998, Government of Canada. Exclusive worldwide publication rights in the article have been transferred to John Wiley & Sons, Inc. in perpetuity. J Comput Chem 19: 1268–1277, 1998     

Detecting defects in periodic scenery by random walks on Z

Thinking of a deterministic function s: Z → N as “scenery” on the integers, a random walk (Z₀, Z₁, Z₂,…) on Z generates a random record of scenery “observed” along the walk: s(Z) = (s(Z₀), s(Z₁),…). Suppose t: Z → N is another scenery on the integers that is neither a translate of s nor a translate of the reflection of s. It has been conjectured that, under these circumstances, with a simple symmetric walk Z the distributions of s(Z) and t(Z) are orthogonal. The conjecture is generally known to hold for periodic s and t. In this paper we show that the conjecture continues to hold for periodic sceneries that have been altered at finitely many locations with any symmetric walk whose steps are restricted to {−1, 0, +1}. If both sceneries are purely periodic and the walk is asymmetric (with steps restricted to {−1, 0, +1}), we get a somewhat stronger result. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

CAUSAL DOMAIN OF MINKOWSKI-SPACETIME TANGENT BUNDLE

The geometry of the causal domain of the spacetime tangent bundle is examined for Finslerian quantum fields in Minkowski spacetime. The Planck-scale structure of the boundary of the causal domain is elaborated. The geometry indicates that at the Planck scale, causal connectivity of Finslerian quantum fields may occur between spacelike separated points, and also at larger scales for extremely large relative four-velocities.     

A urea complex of copper(II) hypophosphite at 293, 100 and 15 K

The crystal structure of poly­[copper(II)‐di‐μ‐hypophosphito‐μ‐urea], [Cu(H₂PO₂)₂(CH₄N₂O)]_n, has been determined at 293, 100 and 15 K. The geometry of the hypophosphite anion is very close to ideal, with point symmetry mm2. Each Cu atom lies on an inversion centre and is coordinated to six O atoms from four hypophosphite anions and two urea mol­ecules, forming a tetragonal bipyramid. The unique urea molecule lies on a twofold axis. Each hypophosphite anion in the structure is coordinated to two Cu atoms. The hypophosphite anions, urea mol­ecules and Cu^II cations form polymeric ribbons. The Cu^II cations in the ribbon are linked together by two hypophos­phite anions and a urea mol­ecule, which is coordinated to Cu via an O atom. The ribbons are linked to each other by N—­H?O hydrogen bonds and form polymeric layers.     

Meeting the Needs of Diverse Student Populations: Comprehensive Professional Development in Science,Math, and Technology for Teachers of Students With Disabilities

Professional development for teachers has become a key component for reform in teaching, learning, and curriculum change. This report describes a model of professional development designed to improve the skills and knowledge of teams of special education and regular education teachers in science, mathematics, and technology instruction. The comprehensive model included summer and academic year content and methodology-focused workshops and summer “practician” experiences. It was designed to link those factors impacting teacher practices and interventions with teachers' beliefs in instruction. The training component for teachers included opportunities for collaborative teaching, upgrading knowledge of math and science subject matter, and identifying, integrating, and practicing alternative approaches for teaching science and math that address the needs of special education students, with a focus on techniques for adapting instruction to specific disabilities. The program led to development of coping skills and persistence in the teaching of science and math for all students. As a result, strong efficacy expectations have been developed through repeated experiences of success with children in a classroom environment. Remaining issues still to be addressed include classroom management, teaching in a heterogeneous classroom, and further improvement of content expertise of teachers.     

Paracompactness of Metric Spaces and the Axiom of Multiple Choice

The axiom of multiple choice implies that metric spaces are paracompact but the reverse implication cannot be proved in set theory without the axiom of choice.     

Conformation and Relative Configuration of a Very Potent Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-Anchoring Inhibitor with an Unusual Tricarbocyclic Sesterterpenoid δ-Lactone Skeleton from the Fungus Paecilomyces inflatus

In the course of our screening for glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) inhibitors, we found a fungal strain, Paecilomyces inflatus, which inhibited GPI anchoring in yeast. Bioassay-guided fractionation with gel filtration, MPLC on normal phase and prep. HPLC on reversed-phase yielded a minor secondary metabolite, the substituted hexadecahydroindeno[5′,6′:4,5]cycloocta[1,2-c]pyranyl heptanoate 1 , that inhibited GPI synthesis in vitro by yeast microsomes with a MIC of 3.4 nm. Ester 1 specifically inhibited GPI synthesis in eukaryotic, including mammalian cells, but had no significant activity in protozoa. Based on spectroscopic evidence, including UV, FT-IR, FAB-MS, ESI-HR-MS, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, DQ-COSY, ROESY, HSQC, and HMBC data, the metabolite 1 was shown to have an unusual tricarbocyclic sesterterpenoid δ-lactone skeleton. Its solution conformation and relative configuration was elucidated with ¹H,¹H coupling constants and detailed analysis of its ROESY data, coupled with inspection of Dreiding models. In the preliminary investigations on structure-activity relationships, the three derivatives 2 – 4 of ester 1 were prepared by acetylation, catalytic hydrogenation, and intramolecular alkene addition of a hydroxy group, respectively. The test results revealed that the modifications of substituents at the δ-lactone ring or of the C=C bonds of 1 caused a loss of activity by a factor of ca. 500 to 5000. Therefore, it seems that the δ-lactone ring and the C=C bonds in 1 are essential for the potent GPI-inhibitory activity.     

A high transmission hemispherical energy analyzer for ion spectrometry

A hemispherical energy analyzer was constructed by using a novel approach to control the fringing electrostatic field. It provides several properties useful in ion spectrometers: namely, rather simple fabrication and compact size, high transmission efficiency at moderate resolution, and the capability to adjust resolution by changing the intersphere potentials. A computer program was developed to evaluate ion trajectories through the hemispherical analyzer. Data obtained from the trajectories were used to predict the characteristics of the analyzer. Experiments performed to determine the kinetic energy dependence of the absolute transmission and the resolution functions are in accord with theoretical calculations.