Almost-one Parameter Hypothesis of Individuality in Height Growth

Thus far an individual height growth curve h_ij(t) of the i-th person in the j-th period, t being his (or her) age, has been studied as a function of t associated with its velocity curve. In this note we introduce a natural scale X(t) in place of t, which linearizes this personal curve and facilitates its analysis, in the sense that this equation of growth contains apparently two personal parameters for one period but one of them plays an essential role. The effectiveness of this approach will be seen in four figures.     

A novel transesterification catalyzed by phosphotriesterase in an organic solvent

Summary Phosphotriesterase (PTE) from Flavobacterium sp. was utilized for transesterification of the organophosphate insecticide, Paraoxon, using 2-phenylethyl alcohol as a nucleophile and dimethly sulfoxide as an organic solvent forming the converted phosphotriester compound, diethyl 2-phenylethyl phosphate.     

Cryptic species in the fern Ceratopteris thalictroides (L.) Brongn. (Parkeriaceae). I. Molecular analyses and crossing tests

For the taxonomic revision of the problematic species Ceratopteris thalictroides, molecular analyses and crossing tests were conducted for 16 sources in the world. An analysis of allozyme composition of five enzymes revealed the presence of three intraspecific entities, which were called the south type, the north type, and the third type. An analysis of the nucleotide sequences of chloroplast DNA also distinguished the same entities. Crossing tests showed that the south type was completely cross-sterile with the other two types, and that the other two were considerably cross-sterile with each other. These results suggest that the three entities should be regarded as different biological species. Although the south type and the other two meet in several regions, complete cross-sterility between them seems to sustain their genetic distinctiveness in spite of occasional crossing. The results from the present study suggest that widely distributed fern species are apt to comprise several cryptic species. Received: August 1, 2001 / Accepted: November 1, 2001     

Statistical inference on markov process of neuronal impulse sequences

To clarify the stochastic properties of the neuronal impulse sequences, we have proposed a measure of statistical dependency d _i (T=τ) and an equation ? _m of the matrices of the serial correlation coefficients. Markov properties of the interval sequences could be provided with d _i (T=τ) and ? _m , which represent the necessary and sufficient condition for the statistical dependence. A method to estimate the order of Markov process with the use of d _i (T=τ) and ? _m was found to be useful in practice. This was proved by the interval sequences of the 0-th, 1-st, and 2nd order semi-Markov process generated by computer. It was also found that the order of Markov process of neuronal impulse sequence is an important parameter representing the pattern of the sequence. This was proved with computer simulation by semi-Markov model of impulse sequence.     

Establishment of Synergistic Chemoimmunotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer Using Peritumoral Immature Dendritic Cell Injections and Low-Dose Chemotherapies

The lack of available tumor antigens with strong immunogenicity, human leukocyte antigen restriction, and immunosuppression via regulatory T-cells (Tregs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells are limitations for dendritic cell (DC)–based immunotherapy in patients with advanced head and neck cancer (HNC). We sought to overcome these limitations and induce effective antitumor immunity in the host. The effect of low-dose docetaxel (DTX) treatment on DC maturation was examined in an ex vivo study, and a phase I clinical trial of combination therapy with direct peritumoral immature DC (iDC) injection with OK-432 and low-dose cyclophosphamide (CTX) plus DTX was designed. Low-dose DTX did not negatively affect iDC viability and instead promoted maturation and IL-12 production. Five patients with metastatic or recurrent HNC were enrolled for the trial. All patients experienced grade 1 to 3 fevers. Intriguingly, elevated CD8+ effector T-cells and reduced Tregs were observed in four patients who completed two treatment cycles. All patients were judged to have progressive disease, but tumor regressions were observed in a subset of targeted metastatic lesions in two of five patients. Our results show that the combination of direct peritumoral iDC injection with OK-432 and low-dose CTX plus DTX is well tolerated and should give rise to changing the immune profile of T-cell subsets and improvement of immunosuppression in advanced HNC patients. Additionally, our ex vivo data on the effect of low-dose DTX treatment on DC maturation may contribute to developing new combination therapies with low-dose chemotherapy and immunotherapy.     

Characterization of regioisomeric diterpenoid tails in bacteriochlorophylls produced by geranylgeranyl reductase from Halorhodospira halochloris and Blastochloris viridis

Photosynthesis Research - Geranylgeranyl reductase (GGR) encoded by the bchP gene catalyzes the reductions of three unsaturated C?=?C double bonds (C6?=?C7,...