On the performance of semiempirical MO theory for dipole moments of dye molecules

The dipole moments of a set of 71 simple dye molecules calculated at the ab initio, DFT, and semiempirical levels have been compared. The DFT dipole moments are on average 16% larger than those obtained by MP2/6-31G**. AM1 and PM3 modified with an empirical correction procedure yield dipole moments essentially at the same level of accuracy as the results of non-empirical calculations. INDO/S and CNDO/S are considerably less accurate. Among different versions of spectral methods, the CISD scheme gives the best performance.Electronic Supplementary Material available.     

Mechanical properties of films and three-dimensional scaffolds made of fibroin and gelatin

Silk fibroin is a biocompatible and biodegradable material, which can be used in surgery and tissue engineering. To improve the cell adhesion on fibroin surface, gelatin can be added to the items made of fibroin. This work compares the mechanical properties of films and three-dimensional scaffolds made of fibroin and fibroin with gelatin. The addition of 30% gelatin to the fibroin scaffold does not change its microstructure or swelling. The addition of gelatin decreases the mechanical properties of films (decreases the Young’s modulus, the maximum strain and elongation) but increases the shear modulus of the scaffolds.     

Regeneration of jejunal wall defect using an implant based on silk fibroin fibers

Regenerative properties of fibroin implant vitalized with allogeneic bone marrow cells were assessed. The study was performed using the experimental model of rat jejunum wall damage. Three weeks after surgery, we observed recovery of all layers of the jejunum wall at the site of injury and complete degradation of the implant material.     

Design and Analysis of a Mutant form of the Ice-Binding Protein from Choristoneura fumiferana

The Protein Journal - Ice-binding proteins are expressed in the cells of some cold adapted organisms, helping them to survive at extremely low temperatures. One of the problems in studying such...     

Genetically isolated sympatric forms of threespine stickleback,Gasterosteus aculeatus,in Lake Azabachije (Kamchatka-peninsula,USSR)

Synopsis Two sympatric morphs of threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus are found in Lake Azabachije (Kamchatka, USSR); resident low-plated leiurus and completely plated trachurus, migrating from the Bering sea into the Lake to spawn. The absence of the intermediate morph semiarmatus and significant differences in a number of characters are indicative of reproductive isolation. The results show that the leiurus morph is common in the regions other than those with mild climate and small seasonal fluctuations of temperature.     

Study of the accidental thymus involution during the formation of hierarchic communities by a novel physical method for recording the social stress

A novel method for recording the aggressive behavior in newly formed hierarchic communities has been developed. A temporal and age-related dynamics of the accidental thymus involution in mammals has been studied.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vibrio parahaemolyticus</Emphasis> Type III Secretion Systems manipulate host cell MAPK for critical steps in pathogenesis

Background  

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a food-borne pathogen causing inflammation of the gastrointestinal epithelium. Pathogenic strains of this bacterium possess two Type III Secretion Systems (TTSS) that deliver effector proteins into host cells. In order to better understand human host cell responses to V. parahaemolyticus, the modulation of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) activation in epithelial cells by an O3:K6 clinical isolate, RIMD2210633, was investigated. The importance of MAPK activation for the ability of the bacterium to be cytotoxic and to induce secretion of Interleukin-8 (IL-8) was determined.