Evidence of positively selected sites in mammalian alpha-defensins.

Alpha-defensins are a family of mammalian antimicrobial peptides that exhibit variable activity against a panel of microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and enveloped viruses. We have employed a maximum-likelihood approach to detect evidence of positive selection (adaptive evolution) in the evolution of these important molecules of the innate immune response. We have identified 14 amino acid sites that are predicted to be subject to positive selection.

Biocidal activity of polystyrenes that are cationic by virtue of protonation.

[structure: see text] Poly(1) kills bacteria (Gram-positive and -negative) and lyses human erythrocytes; this biocidal profile is similar to that of the peptide toxin mellitin. Poly(1) has antibacterial activity comparable to that of a potent derivative of the host defense peptide magainin II, but lacks magainin's selectivity for bacteria over erythrocytes. An analogous N-quaternized polymer, poly(3), is less biocidal than poly(1), suggesting that reversible N-protonation leads to greater biocidal activity than does irreversible N-quaternization.

Pion-Kaon correlations in central Au+Au collisions at square root [sNN] = 130 GeV.

Pion-kaon correlation functions are constructed from central Au+Au STAR data taken at sqrt[s(NN)]=130 GeV by the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The results suggest that pions and kaons are not emitted at the same average space-time point. Space-momentum correlations, i.

Three-pion Hanbury Brown-Twiss correlations in relativistic heavy-ion collisions from the STAR experiment.

Data from the first physics run at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=130 GeV, have been analyzed by the STAR Collaboration using three-pion correlations with charged pions to study whether pions are emitted independently at freeze-out. We have made a high-statistics measurement of the three-pion correlation function and calculated the normalized three-particle correlator to obtain a quantitative measurement of the degree of chaoticity of the pion source. It is found that the degree of chaoticity seems to increase with increasing particle multiplicity.

Freud's psychoanalysis of Edith Banfield Jackson, 1930-1936.

This paper is a historical study of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis of Edith Banfield Jackson. It relies on primary sources, including unpublished correspondence, to describe her background, the analysis itself, and her subsequent life. This analysis, which began in 1930, had both clinical and training purposes.

Transverse-momentum and collision-energy dependence of high-pT hadron suppression in Au+Au collisions at ultrarelativistic energies.

We report high statistics measurements of inclusive charged hadron production in Au+Au and p+p collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. A large, approximately constant hadron suppression is observed in central Au+Au collisions for 5 View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Synthesis of poly(beta-amino ester)s optimized for highly effective gene delivery.

Several families of synthetic polymers, including degradable poly(beta-amino ester)s, have been previously shown to effectively mediate gene transfer. However, the combined impact of potentially significant factors-such as polymer molecular weight, polymer chain end-group, and polymer/DNA ratio-on different gene transfer properties has yet to be systematically investigated. The elucidation of these relationships may aid in the design of nonviral vectors with greatly enhanced transfection properties.

Evidence from d+Au measurements for final-state suppression of high-p(T) hadrons in Au+Au collisions at RHIC.

We report measurements of single-particle inclusive spectra and two-particle azimuthal distributions of charged hadrons at high transverse momentum (high p(T)) in minimum bias and central d+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. The inclusive yield is enhanced in d+Au collisions relative to binary-scaled p+p collisions, while the two-particle azimuthal distributions are very similar to those observed in p+p collisions. These results demonstrate that the strong suppression of the inclusive yield and back-to-back correlations at high p(T) previously observed in central Au+Au collisions are due to final-state interactions with the dense medium generated in such collisions.

Comparative susceptibilities of insect cell lines to infection by the occlusion-body derived phenotype of baculoviruses.

Twelve insect cell lines from six species were tested for susceptibility to baculovirus infection by occlusion-derived virus (ODV) phenotype through the use of a typical endpoint assay procedure. ODV from three nucleopolyhedroviruses were prepared by alkali treatment (sodium carbonate) of occlusion bodies (OBs) and the virus preparations were titered on various cell lines. More than a four-log difference was realized for each of theses viruses between the various cell lines.

In silico identification of components of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway in clustered chicken expressed sequence tags (ESTs).

We have described a bioinformatic approach that involves the clustering of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) to reveal homologs of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway in the chicken. Homology searching of proteins, predicted to be encoded by these EST clusters, resulted in the in silico identification of full-length sequences for Toll-interacting protein (Tollip), IL-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 (IRAK-4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 adapter-like (Mal), TGF beta-activated kinase 1 binding protein 1 (TAB1). We also determined partial sequence information for myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), two novel TLRs, TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), TGF beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), TAB2, inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B kinase alpha (IKK alpha) and IKK beta.

Narrowing of the balance function with centrality in Au+Au collisions at the square root of SNN = 130 GeV.

The balance function is a new observable based on the principle that charge is locally conserved when particles are pair produced. Balance functions have been measured for charged particle pairs and identified charged pion pairs in Au+Au collisions at the square root of SNN = 130 GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider using STAR. Balance functions for peripheral collisions have widths consistent with model predictions based on a superposition of nucleon-nucleon scattering.

Exploiting amyloid fibril lamination for nanotube self-assembly.

Fundamental questions about the relative arrangement of the beta-sheet arrays within amyloid fibrils remain central to both its structure and the mechanism of self-assembly. Recent computational analyses suggested that sheet-to-sheet lamination was limited by the length of the strand. On the basis of this hypothesis, a short seven-residue segment of the Alzheimer's disease-related Abeta peptide, Abeta(16-22), was allowed to self-assemble under conditions that maintained the basic amphiphilic character of Abeta.

Polydnavirus integration in lepidopteran host cells in vitro.

The long-term persistence of polydnavirus (PDV) DNA in infected lepidopteran cell cultures has suggested that at least some of the virus sequences become integrated permanently into the cell genome. In the current study, we provide supportive evidence of this event. Cloned libraries were prepared from two different Lymantria dispar (gypsy moth) cell lines that had been maintained in continuous culture for more than five years after infection with Glyptapanteles indiensis PDV (GiPDV).

Parallel synthesis and biophysical characterization of a degradable polymer library for gene delivery.

We recently reported the parallel synthesis of 140 degradable poly(beta-amino esters) via the conjugate addition of 20 primary or secondary amine monomers to seven different diacrylate monomers. To explore possible structure/function relationships and further characterize this class of materials, we investigated the ability of each DNA-complexing polymer to overcome important cellular barriers to gene transfer. The majority of vectors were found to be uptake-limited, but complexes formed from polymers B14 and G5 displayed high levels of internalization relative to "naked" DNA (18x and 32x, respectively).

The edaphic quantitative protargol stain: a sampling protocol for assessing soil ciliate abundance and diversity.

It has been suggested that species loss from microbial groups low in diversity that occupy trophic positions close to the base of the detrital food web could be critical for terrestrial ecosystem functioning. Among the protozoans within the soil microbial loop, ciliates are presumably the least abundant and of low diversity. However, the lack of a standardized method to quantitatively enumerate and identify them has hampered our knowledge about the magnitude of their active and potential diversity, and about the interactions in which they are involved.

The ADAMs family of proteins: from basic studies to potential clinical applications.

The ADAMs are a family of membrane proteins possessing a disintegrin and metalloprotease domain. Currently, 34 members are known to exist. Approximately 50% of the ADAMs contain a metalloprotease-like domain and some of these have been shown to possess protease activity.

Disappearance of back-to-back high-pT hadron correlations in central Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s NN ] =200 GeV.

Azimuthal correlations for large transverse momentum charged hadrons have been measured over a wide pseudorapidity range and full azimuth in Au+Au and p+p collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. The small-angle correlations observed in p+p collisions and at all centralities of Au+Au collisions are characteristic of hard-scattering processes previously observed in high-energy collisions. A strong back-to-back correlation exists for p+p and peripheral Au+Au.

Azimuthal anisotropy and correlations in the hard scattering regime at RHIC.

Azimuthal anisotropy (v(2)) and two-particle angular correlations of high p(T) charged hadrons have been measured in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=130 GeV for transverse momenta up to 6 GeV/c, where hard processes are expected to contribute significantly. The two-particle angular correlations exhibit elliptic flow and a structure suggestive of fragmentation of high p(T) partons. The monotonic rise of v(2)(p(T)) for p(T)<2 GeV/c is consistent with collective hydrodynamical flow calculations.

Poly(ethylene oxide)-modified poly(beta-amino ester) nanoparticles as a pH-sensitive biodegradable system for paclitaxel delivery.

The main objective of this study was to develop and characterize a pH-sensitive biodegradable polymeric nanoparticulate system for tumor-selective paclitaxel delivery. A representative hydrophobic poly(beta-amino ester) (poly-1) was synthesized by conjugate addition of 4,4'-trimethyldipiperidine with 1,4-butanediol diacrylate. Poly-1 (M(n) 10,000 daltons) nanoparticles were prepared by the controlled solvent displacement method in an ethanol-water system in the presence of Pluronic) F-108, a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-containing non-ionic surfactant.

Coherent rho(0) production in ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions.

The STAR Collaboration reports the first observation of exclusive rho(0) photoproduction, AuAu-->AuAurho(0), and rho(0) production accompanied by mutual nuclear Coulomb excitation, AuAu-->Au*Au*rho(0), in ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions. The rho(0) have low transverse momenta, consistent with coherent coupling to both nuclei. The cross sections at sqrt[s(NN)]=130 GeV agree with theoretical predictions treating rho(0) production and Coulomb excitation as independent processes.

Phylogenetic position of Licnophora, Lechriopyla, and Schizocaryum, three unusual ciliates (phylum Ciliophora) endosymbiotic in echinoderms (phylum Echinodermata).

Various echinoderms are colonized by species from several classes of the Phylum Ciliophora, indicating that the echinoderm "habitat" has been invaded independently on numerous occasions throughout evolutionary history. Two "echinoderm" ciliates whose phylogenetic positions have been problematic are Licnophora macfarlandi Stevens, 1901 and Schizocaryum dogieli Poljansky and Golikova, 1957. Licnophora macfarlandi is an endosymbiont of the respiratory trees of holothuroids, and S.