Small molecules,big impact: a history of chemical inhibitors and the cytoskeleton

Chemical inhibitors, whether natural products or synthetic, have had an enormous impact on the study of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. Here we review the history of some of the most widely used cytoskeletal poisons and their influence on our understanding of cytoskeletal functions. We then highlight several new inhibitors and the targeted screens used to identify them and discuss why this approach has been successful.     

Improved measurement of Vub with inclusive semileptonic B decays

We report a new measurement of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa parameter Vub made with a sample of 9.7 x 10(6) BB- events collected with the CLEO II detector. Using heavy quark theory, we combine the observed yield of leptons from semileptonic B decay in the end-point momentum interval 2.2-2.6 GeV/c with recent CLEO II data on B-->X(s)gamma to find Vub = (4.08+/-0.34+/-0.44+/-0.16+/-0.24)x10(-3), where the first two uncertainties are experimental and the last two are from theory.     

Alkali metal promoted transfer of dimethylsilylene from dodecamethylcyclohexasilane to silanes and dienes

Addition of sodium/potassium alloy to THF solutions containing dodecamethylcyclohexasilane and a diene or a silane, affords silacyclopentenes and disilanes, respectively.     

Energy transfer in rare earth-doped CaWO4 after red edge excitation

Host sensitized energy transfer in CaWO₄ doped with Eu³⁺ and Sm³⁺ is investigated using pulsed laser time-resolved spectroscopy techniques. The excitation is into the long wavelength tail of the absorption edge and the results indicate that this selectively excites tungstate ions which are located next to activator impurity ions. The subsequent energy transfer is found to be consistent with a single step, nearest neighbor process. Both electric dipole-dipole and exchange interactions can predict strong enough transfer to account for the observed rates. These results are compared to those obtained previously for broad band excitation into the highest energy absorption bands of CaWO₄ crystals.     

Isotopic ion exchange separation of radioisotopes using an acetone-water-hydrochloric acid system

Isotopic ion exchange for the rapid separation of radioactive mixtures has been further extended through the use of an acetone-water-hydrochloric acid system. Distribution data were obtained for 27 elements in the range of 15–90% acetone, 0.3N HCl indicating a number of new separations. The approach was used for the separation of several radioisotopes from short half-life magnesium matrix for activation analysis. The separations were completed in less than 5 minutes. Research supported by the Advanced Research Projects Agency.     

Chromium tracer diffusion in NiO crystals

Diffusion of ⁵¹Cr in NiO single crystals in air has been studied by the tracer-sectioning technique. In the temperature range 1192–1642°C, the diffusion coefficient can be expressed by the Arrhenius expression D=D_oexp(-Q/RT), with D_o=(8·6±1·2)×10^?3 cm²/sec and Q=67·4±1·1 kcal/mole. The use of a high specific-activity tracer and a special configuration for the diffusion anneal prevented the self-dopling effect found by Seltzer and the evaporation of chromium from the sample surface. The present results, in conjunction with published results on nickel self-diffusion in NiO and interdiffusion in the NiO?Cr₂O₃ system, are used to determine a chromium ion-vacancy binding energy of about 5 kcal/mole in pure NiO.     

Inelastic scattering studies on 50Cr

The inelastic scattering of protons, deuterons, τ and α from⁵⁰Cr has been studied. Spins, parities and transition strengths have been inferred for many states. The 1.89 MeV 4⁺state is excited by a double-excitation process, but more weakly than expected for a two-phonon state. A weak 5^? state is found at 4.37 MeV, and a 5⁺ state is inferred at 3.792 MeV.