Experiment Document Information System (EDIS) evolution

The EDIS is the second generation of a system designed to produce and control a document containing large amounts of text in combination with tables and graphs of mathematical/scientific data. The first generation system proved the concept, but the slow, unfriendly user interface resulted in an effort to find an off-the-shelf product to improve the interface capability while maintaining the system requirements. The basic design of that first system was combined with the hypertext concepts inherent in HyperCard to generate the most usable EDIS. Currently in the latter stages of design, the EDIS promises to be the first step in the automation of the process required for defining complete packages of Life Sciences experiments for the Shuttle missions

Bell Correlations and the Common Future

Reichenbach's principle states that in a causal structure, correlations of classical information can stem from a common cause in the common past or a direct influence from one of the events in correlation to the other. The difficulty of explaining Bell correlations through a mechanism in that spirit can be read as questioning either the principle or even its basis: causality. In the former case, the principle can be replaced by its quantum version, accepting as a common cause an entangled state, leaving the phenomenon as mysterious as ever on the classical level (on which, after all, it occurs). If, more radically, the causal structure is questioned in principle, closed space-time curves may become possible that, as is argued in the present note, can give rise to non-local correlations if to-be-correlated pieces of classical information meet in the common future --- which they need to if the correlation is to be detected in the first place. The result is a view resembling Brassard and Raymond-Robichaud's parallel-lives variant of Hermann's and Everett's relative-state formalism, avoiding "multiple realities."Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

A Brane World Perspective on the Cosmological Constant and the Hierarchy Problems

We elaborate on the recently proposed static brane world scenario, where the effective 4-D cosmological constant is exponentially small when parallel 3-branes are far apart. We extend this result to a compactified model with two positive tension branes. Besides an exponentially small effective 4-D cosmological constant, this model incorporates a Randall-Sundrum-like solution to the hierarchy problem. Furthermore, the exponential factors for the hierarchy problem and the cosmological constant problem obey an inequality that is satisfied in nature. This inequality implies that the cosmological constant problem can be explained if the hierarchy problem is understood. The basic idea generalizes to the multibrane world scenario. We discuss models with piecewise adjustable bulk cosmological constants (to be determined by the 5-dimensional Einstein equation), a key element of the scenario. We also discuss the global structure of this scenario and clarify the physical properties of the particle (Rindler) horizons that are present. Finally, we derive a 4-D effective theory in which all observers on all branes not separated by particle horizons measure the same Newton's constant and 4-D cosmological constant.Comment: revtex, 63 pages, 8 figures, one table, revised version, more discussions on the global structure, references adde

A História da Alimentação: balizas historiográficas

Os M. pretenderam traçar um quadro da História da Alimentação, não como um novo ramo epistemológico da disciplina, mas como um campo em desenvolvimento de práticas e atividades especializadas, incluindo pesquisa, formação, publicações, associações, encontros acadêmicos, etc. Um breve relato das condições em que tal campo se assentou faz-se preceder de um panorama dos estudos de alimentação e temas correia tos, em geral, segundo cinco abardagens Ia biológica, a econômica, a social, a cultural e a filosófica!, assim como da identificação das contribuições mais relevantes da Antropologia, Arqueologia, Sociologia e Geografia. A fim de comentar a multiforme e volumosa bibliografia histórica, foi ela organizada segundo critérios morfológicos. A seguir, alguns tópicos importantes mereceram tratamento à parte: a fome, o alimento e o domínio religioso, as descobertas européias e a difusão mundial de alimentos, gosto e gastronomia. O artigo se encerra com um rápido balanço crítico da historiografia brasileira sobre o tema

Combined flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy for evaluation of BR96 antibody cancer cell targeting and internalization.

Background: Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are important tools in the management of tumor disease, and the discovery of antibodies with both specific cancer cell targeting and capacity to enter the cells by internalization are critical to improve the therapeutic efficacy. Method: Antibody cancer cell targeting and internalization properties of fluoroscein-conjugated mAb made against Lewis Y (BR96) were evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively by means of flow cytometry (FCM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), respectively, on cells from a rat tumor cell line (BN7005-H1D2). Results: The study demonstrated a specific binding of BR96 to LewisY (LeY) located in the cell membrane and as BR96/LeY immunocomplexes (BR96/LeY) internalized into the cytoplasm. BR96/LeY was internalized into about 15% of the cells, usually distributed throughout the cytoplasm, but also located close to the nuclei. Cytotoxic effects by BR96 were indicated, and CLSM visualized subpopulations containing cells with bound or internalized BR96/LeY that possessed morphologically pyknotic nuclei and disrupted DNA. Conclusion: The spatial-temporal pattern by BR96 cell targeting and internalization processes of BR96/LeY into the cancer cells expressing LeY was demonstrated by FCM and CLSM. Used together, the FCM and CLSM techniques provide a valuable tool for preclinical analyses of antibody targeting and their capacities as carriers of cytotoxic conjugates for the use in cancer therapy