Selective spatial localization of actomyosin motor function by chemical surface patterning

We have previously described the efficient guidance and unidirectional sliding of actin filaments along nanosized tracks with adsorbed heavy meromyosin (HMM; myosin II motor fragment). In those experiments, the tracks were functionalized with trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and surrounded by hydrophilic areas. Here we first show, using in vitro motility assays on nonpatterned and micropatterned surfaces, that the quality of HMM function on CVD-TMCS is equivalent to that on standard nitrocellulose substrates. We further examine the influences of physical properties of different surfaces (glass, SiO(2), and TMCS) and chemical properties of the buffer solution on motility. With the presence of methylcellulose in the assay solution, there was HMM-induced actin filament sliding on both glass/SiO(2) and on TMCS, but the velocity was higher on TMCS. This difference in velocity increased with decreasing contact angles of the glass and SiO(2) surfaces in the range of 20-67 degrees (advancing contact angles for water droplets). The corresponding contact angle of CVD-TMCS was 81 degrees. In the absence of methylcellulose, there was high-quality motility on TMCS but no motility on glass/SiO(2). This observation was independent of the contact angle of the glass/SiO(2) surfaces and of HMM incubation concentrations (30-150 microg mL(-)(1)) and ionic strengths of the assay solution (20-50 mM). Complete motility selectivity between TMCS and SiO(2) was observed for both nonpatterned and for micro- and nanopatterned surfaces. Spectrophotometric analysis of HMM depletion during incubation, K/EDTA ATPase measurements, and total internal reflection fluorescence spectroscopy of HMM binding showed only minor differences in HMM surface densities between TMCS and SiO(2)/glass. Thus, the motility contrast between the two surface chemistries seems to be attributable to different modes of HMM binding with the hindrance of actin binding on SiO(2)/glass.     

Über reduzible lineare homogene Differenzengleichungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Borderline between E1cB and E2 mechanisms. Chlorine isotope effects in base-promoted elimination Reactions.

The chlorine leaving group isotope effect has been measured for the base-promoted elimination reaction of 1-(2-chloro-2-propyl)indene (1-Cl) in methanol at 30 degrees C: k(35)/k(37) = 1.0086 +/- 0.0007 with methoxide as the base and k(35)/k(37) = 1.0101 +/- 0.0001 with triethylamine (TEA) as the base. These very large chlorine isotope effects combined with large kinetic deuterium isotope effects of 7.1 and 8.4, respectively, are consistent not with the irreversible E1cB mechanism proposed previously (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1977, 99, 7926) but with the E2 mechanism with transition states having large amounts of hydron transfer and very extensive cleavage of the bond to chlorine.     

Developing expertise: how enactivism re-frames mathematics teacher development

In this article, we present a re-framing of teacher development that derives from our convictions regarding the enactive approach to cognition and the biological basis of being. We firstly set out our enactivist stance and then distinguish our approach to teacher development from others in the mathematics education literature. We show how a way of working that develops expertise runs through all mathematics education courses at the University of Bristol, and distil key principles for running collaborative groups of teachers. We exemplify these principles further through analysis of one group that met over 2 years as part of a research project focused on the work of Gattegno. We provide evidence for the effectiveness of the group in terms of teacher development. We conclude by arguing that the way of working in this group cannot be separated from the history of interaction of participants.     

Untersuchung von Butter, Margarine, Tran und anderen Fetten

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Syntheses and structures of sterically congested linear and branched cobalta[n]triangulanes

Treatment of {eta(5):eta(1)[2-(di-tert-butylphosphanyl-P)ethyl]cyclopentadienyl}cobalt(I) chloride (5) with methylenecyclopropane (3) or bicyclopropylidene (4), as well as with their spirocyclopropanated analogues methylenespiropentane (7), cyclopropylidenespiropentane (10), or 7,7'-bi(dispiro[2.0.2.1]heptylidene) (15) in the presence of sodium amalgam at -50 degrees C, furnished the stable cobalt complexes 6, 9, 8, 11, and 16, respectively, in 72, 83, 84, 86, and 54 % isolated yield, respectively. The complexes 14 and 16 were also obtained by ligand exchange of the ethene complex {eta(5):eta(1)[2-(di-tert-butylphosphanyl-P)ethyl]cyclopentadienyl}(eta(2)-ethene)cobalt(I) (12) with 13 and 15 in 79 and 52 % yield, respectively. The X-ray crystal-structure analyses of complexes 9, 14, and 16, as well as the NMR-spectroscopic data of all complexes, reveal that they can be regarded as linear and branched cobalta[n]triangulanes. The thermal stability of complexes 6, 8, and 9 up to 109, 145, and 160 degrees C was determined by differential thermal analysis-thermogravimetry (DTA-TG) analysis.