DNA vaccine containing the mycobacterial hsp65 gene prevented insulitis in MLD-STZ diabetes

Background  

Our group previously demonstrated that a DNA plasmid encoding the mycobacterial 65-kDa heat shock protein (DNA-HSP65) displayed prophylactic and therapeutic effect in a mice model for tuberculosis. This protection was attributed to induction of a strong cellular immunity against HSP65. As specific immunity to HSP60 family has been detected in arthritis, multiple sclerosis and diabetes, the vaccination procedure with DNA-HSP65 could induce a cross-reactive immune response that could trigger or worsen these autoimmune diseases.     

Experimental calibration and field investigation of the oxygen isotopic fractionation between biogenic aragonite and water

Marine molluscs have long been recognised as potential records of palaeoclimate change using the patterns and differences in the stable isotopic composition of the carbonate shells. The aim of this study is to improve the robustness of this approach for aragonitic molluscs by completing the first experimental calibration of the fractionation between water and biogenic aragonite. Fractionation factors were calibrated by growing specimens of the freshwater mollusc Lymnaea peregra under controlled conditions of water temperature and isotopic composition. Fifteen populations of L. peregra were maintained at constant temperature and isotopic conditions for five months (at five different temperatures and using three different water compositions). Water samples and temperature measurements were taken regularly throughout the experiment. The temperature dependence of the fractionation factor, between 8 and 24 degrees C, is given by: 1000 ln alpha=16.74x(1000T(-1))-26.39 (T in Kelvin) and the relationship between temperature (T), delta(18)O(carb) and delta(18)O(wat) is given by: T=21.36-4.83xdelta(+ degrees )O(carb)-delta(+ degrees )O(wat) (T is in degrees C, delta(18)O(carb) is with respect to Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite (PDB), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) replacement standard for PDB, and delta(18)O(wat) is with respect to Vienna standard mean ocean water (VSMOW)) The outcome of the controlled experiment is compared with previous studies on synthetic, and biogenic, calcite and aragonite from field and laboratory investigations. These comparisons suggest that although a vital offset exists between the fractionation of isotopes in synthetic and biogenic aragonite for molluscs in general, there is no vital effect that is specific either to freshwater, or to individual, genera. Therefore, the calibrated relationship may be used for any freshwater or marine mollusc to derive palaeotemperatures providing the isotopic composition of the environmental water can be reliably constrained. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Theory of the plasmon contribution to the surface energy of metals

The contribution of zero-point plasma oscillations to the surface energy of metals is studied by including single-particle dispersion effects, which play an essential role. In a simple model we find that the collective contribution scales as $\text{r}{}_{\mathrm{s}}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>?</mtext><mtext>5</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$, has a natural short-wavelength cut-off and is approximately four times smaller than the result of an earlier local treatment.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Porous Silica-Alumina Xerogels

Porous silica-alumina xerogels are synthesized through two methods, which differ by the aluminium precursor: aluminium tri-secbutoxide and aluminium nitrate nonahydrate. The silicium precursor is tetraethylorthosilicate. The porous texture is studied by nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. It is found that the porous texture mainly depends on one parameter for each preparation method: hydrolysis catalyst in one case and aluminium content in the other case.     

Quantum transport in dynamically disordered continuum tight binding systems

We consider the continuum limit of three distinct models describing tightly bound electron systems in one dimension. The first model is the usual tight binding hamiltonian for monatomic lattices with nearest-neighbour hopping between sites. The second model describes a two-subband tight binding system involving two different atoms per unit cell. Finally, the third model represents a monatomic system with two energy levels per atomic site and different nearest-neighbour hopping parameters for hopping between equivalent and non-equivalent levels. The continuum limits of these models result in field-theoretic hamiltonians showing similarities with the Dirac hamiltonian. Assuming the different types of site energies to be dynamically disordered with gaussian whitenoise spectra, we calculate exactly the quantum mechanical mean square displacement <x ²(t)>. Due to the use of Novikov's theorem for the evaluation of configuration averages our analysis for the two-band models is restricted to the degenerate case, where the average positions of the two types of atomic levels coincide. Fort we find coherent motion, <x ²(t)>t ², for the one-band model and disorder induced diffusive contributions for the two-band models. However, for the two-level atomic model the diffusive term is dominated by at ²-term describing coherent hopping between equivalent levels. These findings are discussed in relation to previous results for both discrete and continuum models.     

Tridentate Lewis Acids Based on 1,3,5‐Trisilacyclohexane Backbones and an Example of Their Host–Guest Chemistry

Directed tridentate Lewis acids based on the 1,3,5‐trisilacyclohexane skeleton with three ethynyl groups [CH₂Si(Me)(C₂H)]₃ were synthesised and functionalised by hydroboration with HB(C₆F₅)₂, yielding the ethenylborane {CH₂Si(Me)[C₂H₂B(C₆F₅)₂]}₃, and by metalation with gallium and indium organyls affording {CH₂Si(Me)[C₂M(R)₂]}₃ (M=Ga, In, R=Me, Et). In the synthesis of the backbone the influence of substituents (MeO, EtO and iPrO groups at Si) on the orientation of the methyl group was studied with the aim to increase the abundance of the all‐cis isomer. New compounds were identified by elemental analyses, multi‐nuclear NMR spectroscopy and in some cases by IR spectroscopy. Crystal structures were obtained for cis‐trans‐[CH₂Si(Me)(Cl)]₃, all‐cis‐[CH₂Si(Me)(H)]₃, all‐cis‐[CH₂Si(Me)(C₂H)]₃, cis‐trans‐[CH₂Si(Me)(C₂H)]₃ and all‐cis‐[CH₂Si(Me)(C₂SiMe₃)]₃. A gas‐phase electron diffraction experiment for all‐cis‐[CH₂Si(Me)(C₂H)]₃ provides information on the relative stabilities of the all‐equatorial and all‐axial form; the first is preferred in both solid and gas phase. The gallium‐based Lewis acid {CH₂Si(Me)[C₂Ga(Et)₂]}₃ was reacted with a tridentate Lewis base (1,3,5‐trimethyl‐1,3,5‐triazacyclohexane) in an NMR titration experiment. The generated host–guest complexes involved in the equilibria during this reaction were identified by DOSY NMR spectroscopy by comparing measured diffusion coefficients with those of the suitable reference compounds of same size and shape.     

Vibrational spectroscopy of structural defects in oligothiophenes

Vibrational spectra of oligothiophenes with structural defects are calculated within the density-functional-theory methodology. The effects of the defective αβ linkages on the infrared (IR) and Raman spectra are characterized from calculations of all isomers up to the hexamer. The signatures of αβ linked monomers can be found in IR spectra from broken symmetry arguments which result in absorptions localized in the defective region. The positions of the absorption peaks in the Raman spectra seem to be unaffected by the presence of such defects; however, strong reductions in the intensities are observed because of the shortening of the conjugation length.