Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk and F. M. Dostoevsky: Problem of Finding Faith and Theme of Mentoring in “The Life of a Great Sinner”

The analysis of the unfinished novel “The Life of a Great Sinner” is presented. It is proved that the religious ideas of Tikhon of Zadonsk about freedom, nobility, humility formed the basis of image of protagonist of the work. The author emphasizes that the novelist outlined a complex structure of image of the hero, whose aspirations are multidirectional: on the one hand, to freedom as power over people and worldly greatness, and on the other - to Christian freedom and humility. Attention is paid to the issue of conditions for finding the Orthodox-Christian faith by the young hero. The author shows that in the process of its consideration the novelist included the figure of the mentor in the system of characters of the work, his the prototype being Tikhon of Zadonsk. The problem-thematic core of the idea is revealed: the literary Tikhon calls the character to humility (to conquer himself with God’s help), but the character does not penetrate the essence of the doctrine and follows the path of false humility, distorting what he heard from the mentor and arming himself with the formula “conquer yourself and you conquer the world” in its exclusively mundane understanding. The author comes to the conclusion that Dostoevsky does not remove the prospect of spiritual transformation of the young hero, but, experiencing difficulties in its artistic disclosure, leaves the idea. The author believes that the plot situation “mentor - student” retains its importance in the problem-thematic aspect in the future work of the novelist (“Demons” and “The Brothers Karamazov”)

A complex of rab3A, SNAP-25, VAMP/synaptobrevin-2 and syntaxins in brain presynaptic terminals

AbstractTwo monoclonal antibodies (SPM-1 and SPM-2) immunoprecipitate brain N-type calcium channels. On immunoaffinity chromatography of digitonin extracts of bovine brain membranes on SPM-1- and SPM-2-Sepharose, proteins of 36 (syntaxins A and B), 28 and 19 kDa are specifically retained by both columns. Here we show that the 19 and 28 kDa bands contain VAMP/synaptobrevin-2, and rab3A/smg25A and SNAP-25, respectively. Since SPM-1 and SPM-2 recognize only syntaxins and the 28 kDa band (rab3A/smg25A and SNAP-25), respectively, the results indicate that all these proteins form a complex. Our results suggest tight linkage between the components involved in neurotransmitter release

Huntington\u27s disease

https://digitalcommons.imsa.edu/hd_graphic_novels/1027/thumbnail.jp

Bell\u27s Palsy Disease

https://digitalcommons.imsa.edu/hd_graphic_novels/1026/thumbnail.jp

Current pretreatment technologies for the development of cellulosic ethanol and biorefineries

Lignocellulosic materials, such as forest, agriculture, and agroindustrial residues, are among the most important resources for biorefineries to provide fuels, chemicals, and materials in such a way to substitute for, at least in part, the role of petrochemistry in modern society. Most of these sustainable biorefinery products can be produced from plant polysaccharides (glucans, hemicelluloses, starch, and pectic materials) and lignin. In this scenario, cellulosic ethanol has been considered for decades as one of the most promising alternatives to mitigate fossil fuel dependence and carbon dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere. However, a pretreatment method is required to overcome the physical and chemical barriers that exist in the lignin–carbohydrate composite and to render most, if not all, of the plant cell wall components easily available for conversion into valuable products, including the fuel ethanol. Hence, pretreatment is a key step for an economically viable biorefinery. Successful pretreatment method must lead to partial or total separation of the lignocellulosic components, increasing the accessibility of holocellulose to enzymatic hydrolysis with the least inhibitory compounds being released for subsequent steps of enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. Each pretreatment technology has a different specificity against both carbohydrates and lignin and may or may not be efficient for different types of biomasses. Furthermore, it is also desirable to develop pretreatment methods with chemicals that are greener and effluent streams that have a lower impact on the environment. This paper provides an overview of the most important pretreatment methods available, including those that are based on the use of green solvents (supercritical fluids and ionic liquids)

Identifying Dopamine Receptor Genes and Transcription Marbled

Modulatory transmitters are major contributors to nervous system plasticity and behavioral flexibility, they determine motivational states and are involved in psychiatric and neurological disorders. Neuromodulators act through distinct receptors and the diversity in receptor subtypes and distribution allows a single neuromodulator can exert many different actions. A prerequisite to understand the ways modulators work is to identify which receptors are expressed in an animal. I studied which Dopamine receptors are present in the Procambarus virginalis also known as Marbled Crayfish, a highly invasive female species with high quality genome and transcriptomes. Their broad behavioral repertoire makes them ideal for studying the actions of neuromodulator receptors. We focused on Dopamine receptors as they play a role in Parkinson’s disease and the reward system of vertebrates and invertebrates. Using bioinformatics, we identified which dopamine receptors (D2Alpha and D2beta) exist in marbled crayfish. After identifying homologs of both receptors, a conserved domains search revealed no direct functional domains for these putative D2alpha and D2beta receptors. PCR with D2alpha primers on ventral nerve cord mRNA further revealed that this putative receptor is notexpressed in the marbled crayfish nervous system. We are currently testing the expression of D2beta in in the ventral nerve cord

New anchoring method for tarsal tendon transfers in myelomeningocele patients

We describe a new anchoring method for tarsal tendon transfers in myelomeningocele patients to protect the sole of the foot from pressure sores and skin necrosis and to loosen the tension of the transferred tendon