This study demonstrates that a combination of gelatin sponge, b-FGF, and fibrin glue enables the regeneration of the TM without conventional operative procedures. This innovative regenerative therapy is an easy, safe, cost-effective, and minimally invasive outpatient treatment.

Objectives/Hypothesis: Therapeutic challenges exist in the management of vocal fold scarring. We have previously demonstrated the therapeutic potential of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in the management of acute phase vocal fold scarring using a novel hydrogel-based HGF drug delivery system (DDS). However, the effect of HGF on matured vocal fold scarring remains unclear. The current study aims to investigate the effect of HGF-DDS on chronic vocal fold scarring using a canine model.Study Design: Animal model. Methods: Vocal folds from eight beagles were unilaterally scarred by stripping the entire layer of the lamina propria; contralateral vocal folds were kept intact as normal controls. Six months after the procedures, hydrogels (0.5 mL) containing 1 lg of HGF were injected into the scarred vocal folds of four dogs (HGF-treated group). Hydrogels containing saline solution were injected into the other four dogs (sham group). Histological and vibratory examinations on excised larynges were completed for each group 9 months after the initial surgery.Results: Experiments conducted on excised larynges demonstrated significantly better vibrations in the HGF-treated group in terms of mucosal wave amplitude. Although phonation threshold pressure was significantly lower in the HGF-treated group compared with the sham group, no significant differences were observed in the normalized glottal gap between HGF-treated and sham groups. Histological examinations of the HGF-treated vocal folds showed reduced collagen deposition and less tissue contraction with favorable restoration of hyaluronic acid.Conclusions: Results suggest that administration of HGF may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of chronic vocal fold scarring.

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The present findings suggest that the novel HGF DDS may provide favorable effects in restoring the vibratory properties of scarred vocal folds.

The dissociation energy curves of low-lying spin-mixed states for Group 4 hydrides, TiH, ZrH, and Hf H, have been calculated using both effective core potential and all-electron approaches. A comprehensive set of theoretical results including the dissociation energies, equilibrium distances, harmonic frequencies, anharmonicities, rotational constants, and dipole moments are reported for these molecules. We present results for both ground and a few excited states, filling a considerable gap in available data for these molecules. Absorption spectra are also predicted on the basis of the results. The present study uses three methods, all based on the multiconfigurational self-consistent field (MCSCF) method, augmented by second-order configuration interaction (SOCI), with either an effective core potential basis set (SBKJC) or a double-ζ basis set (MIDI): (i) MCSCF+SOCI/SBKJC(f,p) with a one-electron approximation using effective nuclear charges, (ii) MCSCF+SOCI/MIDI(3p,3p) with the full Breit−Pauli Hamiltonian, and (iii) MCSCF +SOCI/ MIDI(3p,3p) with the relativistic elimination of the small component scheme and full Breit−Pauli Hamiltonian. The results are compared with previous theoretical studies and available experimental data reported previously. Good agreement is obtained between the results obtained when the first and third methods are used. ReceiVed: July 11, 2001; In Final Form: NoVember 6, 2001 The dissociation energy curves of low-lying spin-mixed states for Group 4 hydrides, TiH, ZrH, and HfH, have been calculated using both effective core potential and all-electron approaches. A comprehensive set of theoretical results including the dissociation energies, equilibrium distances, harmonic frequencies, anharmonicities, rotational constants, and dipole moments are reported for these molecules. We present results for both ground and a few excited states, filling a considerable gap in available data for these molecules. Absorption spectra are also predicted on the basis of the results. The present study uses three methods, all based on the multiconfigurational self-consistent field (MCSCF) method, augmented by second-order configuration interaction (SOCI), with either an effective core potential basis set (SBKJC) or a double-basis set (MIDI): (i) MCSCF+SOCI/SBKJC(f,p) with a one-electron approximation using effective nuclear charges, (ii) MCSCF+SOCI/MIDI(3p,3p) with the full Breit-Pauli Hamiltonian, and (iii) MCSCF +SOCI/MIDI(3p,3p) with the relativistic elimination of the small component scheme and full Breit-Pauli Hamiltonian. The results are compared with previous theoretical studies and available experimental data reported previously. Good agreement is obtained between the results obtained when the first and third methods are used.

A full electron calculation for the photosynthetic reaction center of Rhodopseudomonas viridis was performed by using the fragment molecular orbital (FMO) method on a massive cluster computer. The target system contains 20,581 atoms and 77,754 electrons, which was divided into 1,398 fragments. According to the FMO prescription, the calculations of the fragments and pairs of the fragments were conducted to obtain the electronic state of the system. The calculation at RHF/6-31G* level of theory took 72.5 hours with 600 CPUs. The CPUs were grouped into several workers, to which the calculations of the fragments were dispatched. An uneven CPU grouping, where two types of workers are generated, was shown to be efficient.

The dissociation energy curves of low-lying spin-mixed states for Group 5 hydrides (VH, NbH, and TaH), as well as Group 3 hydrides (ScH, YH, and LaH), have been calculated by using both effective core potential (ECP) and all-electron (AE) approaches. The two approaches are based on the multiconfiguration selfconsistent field (MCSCF) method, followed by second-order configuration interaction (SOCI) calculations: the first method employs an ECP basis set proposed by Stevens and co-workers (SBKJC) augmented by a set of polarization functions, and spin−orbit coupling effects are estimated with a one-electron approximation, using effective nuclear charges. The second method employs a double-ζ basis set developed by Huzinaga (MIDI) and three sets of p functions are added to both transition element and hydrogen and one set of f functions is also added to the transition element. The relativistic elimination of small components (RESC) scheme and full Breit−Pauli Hamiltonian are employed in the AE approaches to incorporate relativistic effects. The present paper reports a comprehensive set of theoretical results including the dissociation energies, equilibrium distances, electronic transition energies, harmonic frequencies, anharmonicities, and rotational constants for several low-lying spin-mixed states in the hydrides, filling a considerable gap in available data for these molecules. Transition moments are also computed among the spin-mixed states, and qualitative agreement is obtained for Group 3 hydrides in comparison with the experimental results reported by Ram and Bernath. Peak positions of emission spectra in Group 5 hydrides are also predicted. Disciplines Chemistry CommentsReprinted ( ReceiVed: January 13, 2004; In Final Form: March 13, 2004 The dissociation energy curves of low-lying spin-mixed states for Group 5 hydrides (VH, NbH, and TaH), as well as Group 3 hydrides (ScH, YH, and LaH), have been calculated by using both effective core potential (ECP) and all-electron (AE) approaches. The two approaches are based on the multiconfiguration self-consistent field (MCSCF) method, followed by second-order configuration interaction (SOCI) calculations: the first method employs an ECP basis set proposed by Stevens and co-workers (SBKJC) augmented by a set of polarization functions, and spin-orbit coupling effects are estimated with a one-electron approximation, using effective nuclear charges. The second method employs a double-basis set developed by Huzinaga (MIDI) and three sets of p functions are added to both transition element and hydrogen and one set of f functions is also added to the transition element. The relativistic elimination of small components (RESC) scheme and full Breit-Pauli Hamiltonian are employed in the AE approaches to incorporate relativistic effects. The present paper reports a comprehensive set of theoretical results including the dissociation energies, equilibrium distances, electronic transition energies, harmonic frequencies, anharmonicities, and rotational constants for sever...