ALBERT

Notes: Abstract  Expression and distribution of a constitutive member of the 90 kDa heat-shock protein family, named HSC90, was investigated during amphibian embryonic development. By Northern blot analysis, two hsp90 transcripts (2.5 and 3 kb) which displayed differing developmental regulation were detected during embryogenesis. Expression of the larger transcript (3 kb), which encodes an HSC90-related protein, decreased until the gastrula stage. However, zygotic transcription for this hsc90 gene was found to start from the neurula stage, and the corresponding zygotic hsc90 transcript was specifically located by whole mount in situ hybridization in the anterior neural tube of a late neurula embryo. Later, in a tailbud embryo, hsc90 transcripts were detected in the cephalic region, neural tube, eye vesicles, branchial and mandibular arches and somites. Distribution of the HSC90-related protein was also analysed by immunohistochemistry throughout embryogenesis. As expected, the protein was strongly expressed in the cytoplasm, mainly in the periplasmic area of embryonic tissue cells. Interestingly, HSC90 was also transiently detected in the nuclear area, with this nuclear transfer depending on the chromatin condensation state, up to the blastula stage. During the process of gastrulation, nuclear translocation of HSC90 was also observed at the level of the blastopore dorsal lip, exclusively in cells undergoing invagination.

Notes: Abstract This paper describes a novel method of pattern recognition targeted for recognizing complex annotations found in paper documents. Our investigation is motivated by the high reliability required for accomplishing autonomous interpretation of maps and engineering drawings. The recognition problem is made difficult in part because characters and text may be expressed in arbitrary fonts and orientations. Our approach includes a novel incremental strategy based on the multiscale representation of wavelet decompositions. Our approach is motivated by biological mechanisms of the human visual system. Choosing wavelets that are simultaneously localized in both space and frequency, and decomposing a signal into a multiscale hierarchical basis with orientation selectivity, can provide a powerful methodology for pattern analysis. We evaluated several wavelets with different spatial-frequency characteristics and measured their performance in the context of character recognition. Wavelet bases are more attractive than traditional hierarchical bases because they are orthonormal, linear, continuous, and continuously invertible. The multiscale representation of wavelet transforms provides a mathematically coherent basis for multigrid techniques. In contrast to previous adhoc approaches, our method promises a practical solution embedded in a unified mathematical theory. A feasibility study is described in which more than 10000 patterns were recognized with an error rate of 2.6% by a neural network trained using multiscale representations from a class of 52 distinct alphanumeric patterns and graphical symbols. We observed a 10-fold reduction in the amount of information needed to represent each character for recognition. These results suggest that high reliability is possible at a reduced cost of representation.

Notes: Summary This paper reports a study of the chemistry of valinomycin, enniatins and related membrane-active depsipeptides that increase alkali metal ion permeability of model and biological membranes. The antimicrobial activity of these compounds and their effect on membranes has been correlated with their cation-complexing ability. The complexing reaction has been studied by spectropolarimetric and conductimetric methods. Nuclear magnetic resonance, optical rotatory dispersion, and infrared spectrophotometric studies have revealed the coexistence of conformers of the cyclodepsipeptides in solution and have led to elucidation of the spatial structure of valinomycin, enniatin B and their K+ complexes. The effect of the conformational properties of the cyclodepsipeptides on their complexation efficiency and selectivity, surface-active properties and behavior towards phospholipid monolayers, bimolecular phospholipid membranes and a number of biological membrane systems has been ascertained. The studies have clearly shown the feasibility of using cyclodepsipeptides with predetermined structural and conformational parameters as chemical tools for membrane studies. it is suggested that the principle of conformation-dependent cation binding through iondipole interactions may possibly lie at the basis of the mode of action of systems governing the natural ion permeability in biological membranes.

Notes: Abstract. The four human mucin genes MUC6, MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC5B are located at chromosome 11p15.5. It has been demonstrated that the three mucins MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC5B contain several Cys-subdomains of 108 amino acid residues. In contrast, little information is available concerning MUC6. These Cys-subdomains contain 10 cysteine residues that have a highly conserved position. We present here a coherent probable evolutionary history of this human gene family after comparison of the nucleotide sequences of these Cys-subdomains. The three MUC loci MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC5B may have evolved from a common ancestral gene by two successive duplications. Moreover, we can postulate that MUC5AC and MUC5B have evolved in a concerted manner, while MUC2 has evolved separately.

Notes: Abstract We have recently obtained evidence that the locus corresponding to three groups of partial tracheobronchial cDNAs (A=Jer47, B=Jer57, C=Jer58) which mapped to chromosome 11p15 and was given the symbol MUC5 corresponds to two distinct genes which we have provisionally called MUC5B and MUC5AC. Here we describe the detection, using the Jer58 probe, which contains a 24-bp tandem repeat, of polymorphism in the MUC5AC gene with seven different restriction enzymes.

Notes: Abstract Objective: Recently the role of peripheral vasoconstriction in the aetiology of insulin resistance has been proposed. Celiprolol is a β1-selective adrenoceptor antagonist with partial agonist activity at the β2-receptor as well as vasodilator properties. The acute effects of celiprolol on skeletal muscle blood flow and insulin sensitivity were measured in this study. Methods: Celiprolol (2 times 0.5 mg · kg−1) or saline was given intravenously to five healthy males in random order. Muscle blood flow was measured in femoral regions using [15O]-labelled water and positron emission tomography (PET) during euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemia (serum insulin ˜65 mU · l−1) after an overnight fast. Thereafter, skeletal and heart muscle glucose uptake were determined using [18F]-2-deoxy-d-glucose. Results: Celiprolol increased muscle blood flow by 74%, from 3.4 to 5.9 ml · min−1 · 100 g−1 muscle in the basal state. It decreased peripheral resistance by 40%, from␣32.0 to 19.2 mmHg · ml−1 · min−1 · 100 g−1. Celiprolol significantly decreased diastolic blood pressure from 82 to 73 mmHg and increased heart rate from 61 to 68 beats · min−1, which suggests sympathetic activation. Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was reduced by 46% in the whole body, from 39 to 21 μmol · kg−1 · min−1 and by 59% in the femoral muscles, from 99 to 41 μmol · kg−1 · min−1, with celiprolol as compared to saline. The effect on heart glucose uptake did not statistically differ between the treatments. Conclusion: Celiprolol given intravenously increased muscle blood flow and decreased peripheral resistance at rest. It also acutely increased heart rate probably via sympathetic activation, and decreased insulin sensitivity in the muscles of healthy male volunteers. The enhanced muscle perfusion when celiprolol is given intravenously does not explain the improved insulin sensitivity seen in the long-term oral use in dyslipidaemic hypertensive patients.

Notes: Summary The plasma and urine pharmacokinetic parameters of pyrazinamide and of its metabolites (pyrazinoic acid, 5-hydroxy-pyrazinamide, 5-hydroxy-pyrazinoic acid and pyrazinuric acid) have been studied after a single oral dose of pyrazinamide 27 mg · kg−1 in 9 healthy subjects. Pyrazinamide was rapidly absorbed (tmax ≤1 h) and showed a short distribution phase followed by an elimination phase of t1/2β=9.6 h. The close similarity of the apparent elimination rates of the metabolites led to a second trial of a single oral dose of pyrazinoic acid to evaluate the formation and elimination stages. The limiting factor was found to be the activity of a microsomal deamidase (pyrazinoic acid formation from pyrazinamide and 5-hydroxy-pyrazinoic acid formation from 5-hydroxy-pyrazinamide). In contrast, oxidation by xanthine oxidase occurred very rapidly (5-hydroxy-pyrazinamide formation and pyrazinoic acid catabolism to 5-hydroxy-pyrazinoic acid).

Notes: Abstract In previous studies poly (ortho ester) (POE) has shown promise as a resorbable device, a hemostatic sealant and as a carrier for drugs in bone surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the tissue reactions of solid poly (ortho ester) implanted into both tibiae of 17 rabbits. One half of the rods were sterilized by gamma radiation and the other half by ethylene oxide. The follow-up times were from 1 week to 21 weeks, after which the animals were killed and the bony specimens examined histologically. The connective tissue samples were examined immunohistochemically in order to study the occurrences of two extracellular matrix glycoproteins, tenascin and fibronectin. The results showed that solid poly (ortho ester)s induce a moderate inflammatory reaction for 9 weeks. Tenascin and fibronectin were present in samples from 1 week up to 4 weeks. It was also found that gamma sterilized POE was resorbed at week 7 and ethylene oxide sterilized POE at week 13.

Notes: Concluding comments In this concluding section, we summarize the workings and outcomes of our versions of the demand-revealing process, followed by summaries of the advantages and disadvantages of these versions applied to the problem of the distribution of private goods among individuals who jointly own or have claims against the goods. Finally, we briefly discuss two alternatives to our versions of the demand-revealing process. As discussed in Section 2, the demand-revealing process elicits honest value revelation by separating the individual's stated valuations of a good from the price or tax he must pay for the good. In the problems we consider, wherein the parties jointly own the goods, we must also separate the amount of cash received by each party from his stated valuations. By inducing the parties to honestly reveal their valuations, the process is able to efficiently distribute goods to the parties placing the greatest values on them. The net benefits in this process, which result from the excess of the value of items received by the parties involved over the price paid for those items plus the cash distributed among the parties involved, are generally distributed in approximately the desired proportions. In order to accomplish honest value revelation and the other desirable properties stated above, there is a necessary cost in the form of a waste in the demand-revealing process similar to the Clarke tax. However, users of the process could be compensated for their expected waste from a fund established for that purpose. The major advantage of the process specified in this paper is the honest revelation of values which results in efficiency in the distribution of the property, while approximately achieving the desired overall division of the property. As long as the parties do not collude in their value revelations, one can expect values to be honestly revealed by the parties involved. A second advantage is that the process requires no personal interaction, as do other approaches to distribute property, such as direct negotiation among the parties or an auction. This depersonalization may be quite desirable when personal conflicts may be involved. The disadvantages of the process include that waste is involved (which tends to diminish but does not disappear as the number of parties increases), that the desired overall distribution of property may only be approximated ex post, that ‘spiteful’ bidding may occur, and that strategic misstatement of valuations may occur if subsets of individuals collude. An example of spiteful bidding would be the case where party 1 values an item highly and bids accordingly. Party 2 could be aware of party 1's high valuation of the item and overstate her own valuation (V 2). This results in a small risk to party 2 that her bid may prevail, but party 2 may feel the risk is worth the higher price that she is forcing upon party 1. Although spiteful bidding is possible, and can create inefficiency and waste, this sort of behavior would probably be even worse in other processes such as an English auction. Collusive strategic behavior by subsets of individuals is possible, as it is with other versions of the demand-revealing process. Somewhat surprisingly, however, collusive strategic behavior under this version of the demand-revealing process is unlikely to result in inefficiency in the distribution of items, and, in fact, can reduce waste. It can also, however, reduce the net benefits of non-members of the coalition.11 Given the waste involved in the process presented in this paper, one may wish to explore alternative processes which can be applied to similar economic problems. Two such alternatives are very briefly discussed here. A version of point voting suggested by Mueller, Tollision and Willett (1974) was applied to achieving a desired level of ex post equality in results over a number of issues in an election. Applied to our problem, this process would begin with an equal number of points being distributed to each party and allowing each party to allocate points among items as he desires, with each item tentatively distributed to the party allocating the most points to it. Depending upon the distribution among the parties of the point values of the items received, the points allocated to each party are adjusted and items redistributed. This process continues until approximately the desired proportions of the total property are received by each party (in terms of the original point allocations made by the parties). Such a process could be handled quite easily by computer once the various parties had stated their relative valuations of the items. The advantage of such a process would be that there would be no waste as in our version of the demand-revealing process. The disadvantage is that the process is more complex than the demand-revealing process, it excludes outside bidders, and it is subject to strategic voting in the parties' allocations, which can result in inefficiency. A second alternative which avoids the waste of our process is to use the demand-revealing process with the parties bidding with points rather than with dollars. Points could be allocated among the parties in accordance with the distribution desired, and then the parties could use these scarce points with which to bid. Although such a process would avoid the waste of our process, it is somewhat more complex than our process, in that points are used for bidding rather than people merely stating their valuations, it excludes outside bidders, it may not approximate the desired ex post shares for the parties involved,12 and efficiency may not be achieved.13 In light of its advantages and the absence of alternatives which can avoid its disadvantages without incurring further problems, we feel that the specific applications of the demand-revealing process suggested in this paper could be of practical use in some instances in divorce settlements or estate administration, or in private goods decisions problems of a similar nature wherein the goods are being distributed among their joint owners. For example, the process could be used in the distribution of property in a partnership dissolution. The applicability of the demand-revealing process to these various problems is further evidence of the broad usefulness of the demand-revealing process for improving the efficiency in public and private goods decisions. There are only three forms of profitable collusion under this process. One is for parties 1 and 2 colluding by understating V 2 to reduce the price paid by party 1 (yielding a maximum net gain to the coalition of V 2−V 3 If V 2 is stated as equal to V 3). The second is for parties 2 and i (i ≥ 3) colluding by overstating V i as V 2 in order to increase the cash received by party 2 (yielding a net gain to the coalition equal to w 2(V 2−V 3)). Neither of these forms of strategic collusive behavior results in inefficiency in the distribution of the item, and, in fact, each can reduce waste since waste equals (w 1 + w 2)(V 2 − V 3) and these strategies can reduce the stated difference between V 2 and V 3. The strategic voting can benefit the coalition, somewhat at the expense of the other parties, however, as in the preceding example. A third form of collusion is for party 2 to collude with party i (i ≥ 3) to overstate V 2 in order to increase the cash received by party i. Such a strategy can yield benefits for the coalition approaching w i (V 1 − V 2). The danger exists, however, that party 2's stated valuation may exceed V 1, in which case party 2 would receive the item at a price exceeding its true valuation. This would be inefficient, and would increase waste since (w 1 + w 2) (V 2 − V 3) would increase, unless part of the strategy was a corresponding increase in V 3. The possibility under this strategy of receiving an item at a price exceeding its worth seems to make this collusive strategy less likely than the other two, and thus, ineffi