On the Fourier Transform of Causal Distributions

We extend the distributional Bochner formula [1, p. 72, Theorem 26] to certain kinds of distributions. Theorem I.1 gives a formula [Eq. (I.1.14)] which makes it possible to obtain easily the Fourier transform of distributions of the form As applications of the formula (I.1.14) we evaluate the Fourier transforms of the distributions G_α(P±i0, m, n) [Eq. (I.4.1)] and H_α(P±i0,n) [Eq. (II.1.1)]. It follows from Theorem II.3 that H_zk(P±i0,n) is, for 2K≠n+2r, r=0,1..., an elementary solution of the n-dimensional ultrahyperbolic operator iterated k times.     

Imaging the Magnetic Reversal of Isolated and Organized Molecular‐Based Nanoparticles using Magnetic Force Microscopy

In the race towards miniaturization in nanoelectronics, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have emerged as potential candidates for their integration in ultrahigh‐density recording media. Molecular‐based materials open the possibility to design new tailor‐made MNPs with variable composition and sizes, which benefit from the intrinsic properties of these materials. Before their implementation in real devices is reached, a precise organization on surfaces and a reliable characterization and manipulation of their individual magnetic behavior are required. In this paper, it is demonstrated how molecular‐based MNPs are accurately organized on surfaces and how the magnetic properties of the individual MNPs are detected and tuned by means of low‐temperature magnetic force microscopy (LT‐MFM) with variable magnetic field. The magnetization reversal on isolated and organized MNPs is investigated; in addition, the temperature dependence of their magnetic response is evaluated.     

Conformational analysis of 4,4‐dimethyl‐4‐silathiane and its S‐oxides

4,4‐Dimethyl‐4‐silathiane and its S‐oxides [n = 0 ( 1 ), 1 ( 2 ), 2 ( 3 )] were studied experimentally by variable temperature dynamic NMR spectroscopy down to 103 K and the frozen ring inversion was revealed for all three compounds. The barriers for the degenerate ring inversion in 1 and 3 were measured to be 4.8 and 5.0 kcal/mol at the coalescence temperatures of 111 and 116 K, respectively, and practically coincide with the calculated barriers of 4.60 kcal/mol in 1 and 4.46 kcal/mol in 3 . The frozen equilibrium mixture 2‐ax/2‐eq contains 37% of the 2‐ax and 63% of the 2‐eq conformer. The ring inversion barrier proved to be ca. 4.8 kcal/mol. Calculations at the B3LYP/6‐311+G(d,p) level of theory showed the 2‐ax conformer to be 0.90 kcal/mol more stable than the 2‐eq conformer in the gas phase whereas in solution the relative stability of the conformers calculated using the PCM model at the same level of theory is inverted to become 0.19 (in CHCl₃) or 0.36 kcal/mol (in DMSO) in favor of the 2‐eq conformer. The chair–chair interconversion mechanism of sulfoxide 2 includes two intermediate energetically equivalent 1,4‐twist forms and the 2,5‐boat transition state: 2‐ax (chair) ? 2 (1,4‐twist) ? [ 2 (2,5‐boat)]^≠ ? 2 (1,4‐twist) ? 2‐eq (chair). The calculated ring inversion barriers are 5.1 ( 2‐ax → 2‐eq ) and 4.2 kcal/mol ( 2‐eq → 2‐ax ) in the gas phase, and 4.03 and 4.22 kcal/mol, respectively, in chloroform. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Atypical perceptual narrowing in prematurely born infants is associated with compromised language acquisition at 2 years of age

Background

Protein aggregation plays important roles in several neurodegenerative disorders. For instance, insoluble aggregates of phosphorylated tau and of Aβ peptides are cornerstones in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. Soluble protein aggregates are therefore potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for their cognate disorders. Detection of the aggregated species requires sensitive tools that efficiently discriminate them from monomers of the same proteins. Here we have established a proximity ligation assay (PLA) for specific and sensitive detection of Aβ protofibrils via simultaneous recognition of three identical determinants present in the aggregates. PLA is a versatile technology in which the requirement for multiple target recognitions is combined with the ability to translate signals from detected target molecules to amplifiable DNA strands, providing very high specificity and sensitivity.

Results

For specific detection of Aβ protofibrils we have used a monoclonal antibody, mAb158, selective for Aβ protofibrils in a modified PLA, where the same monoclonal antibody was used for the three classes of affinity reagents required in the assay. These reagents were used for detection of soluble Aβ aggregates in solid-phase reactions, allowing detection of just 0.1 pg/ml Aβ protofibrils, and with a dynamic range greater than six orders of magnitude. Compared to a sandwich ELISA setup of the same antibody the PLA increases the sensitivity of the Aβ protofibril detection by up to 25-fold. The assay was used to measure soluble Aβ aggregates in brain homogenates from mice transgenic for a human allele predisposing to Aβ aggregation.

Conclusions

The proximity ligation assay is a versatile analytical technology for proteins, which can provide highly sensitive and specific detection of Aβ aggregates - and by implication other protein aggregates of relevance in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.     

Small silver clusters at paramagnetic defects of silica surfaces: A density functional embedded-cluster study

We studied the interaction of small Ag_n clusters (n = 1–4) with paramagnetic defect centers of a dehydroxylated silica surface using an all-electron scalar relativistic density functional method. The surface and adsorption complexes on it were modeled with an accurate quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) scheme of embedding QM clusters in an elastic polarizable environment, described at the molecular mechanics level (MM). We analyzed two types of frequent point defects as sites for trapping and growing of Ag clusters: a silicon atom with a dangling bond (E′ center), ≡ Si?, and a non-bridging oxygen center (NBO), ≡ Si–O?. The Ag clusters interact with these paramagnetic centers forming strong covalent metal-defect bonds. The high adsorption energy allows one to consider the NBO and E′ sites as traps of single Ag atoms and as centers of cluster growth. We also explored the effect of adsorption on observable electronic properties of the silver clusters and of the defects of the silica surface.     

Exoelectron emission from solid nitrogen

Solid nitrogen was investigated by activation spectroscopy methods – thermally stimulated luminescence and thermally stimulated exoelectron emission (TSL and TSEE) in combination with luminescence analysis. TSEE from solid nitrogen pre-irradiated by an electron beam was measured and investigated for the first time. A set of peaks both in TSL and TSEE were observed. It was found that one of the peaks in the TSEE curve is caused by release of electrons in the course of the α-β phase transition of solid nitrogen. The corresponding activation energy was estimated.