Metabotropic glutamate receptor-mediated currents at the climbing fiber to Purkinje cell synapse

Different forms of synaptic plasticity in the cerebellum expressed at the synapses onto Purkinje cells (PCs) are mediated by membrane metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). There are three main mGluR groups with a total of 8 subtypes. Although mGluRs are also found at the climbing fiber (CF) to PC synapses, the distribution and biological activity of their types is not well-known. Using whole cell patch-clamp recordings from PCs in rat cerebellar slices with inhibitors of ionotropic receptors and glutamate uptake blockers we demonstrate a complex pharmacology of currents obtained by CF stimulation. The mGluR1 specific antagonist CPCCOEt in a group of cells suppressed this response, but in a similar number of other cells it induced a potentiating effect. It was found that a switch between these two biopharmaceutical effects might occur with age.     

Dynamics of the C(1D)+D2 reaction: a comparison of crossed molecular-beam experiments with quasiclassical trajectory and accurate statistical calculations

In this paper we report a combined experimental and theoretical study on the dynamics of the insertion reaction C((1)D)+D(2) at 15.5 kJ mol(-1) collision energy. Product angular and velocity distributions have been obtained in crossed beam experiments and quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) and rigorous statistical calculations have been performed on the recent and accurate ab initio potential energy surface of Bussery-Honvault, Honvault, and Launay at the energy of the experiment. The molecular-beam results have been simulated using the theoretical calculations. Good agreement between experiment and both QCT and statistical predictions is found.     

Electrochemistry of the iron-sulfur cluster compound [(η-C5H5)2Fe2S2(SC2H5)2]. Synthesis and propeties of the oxidation products

In order to gain some insight into the stability of configuration and the bonding in the novel disulfide-containing complex [(η-C₅H₅)₂Fe₂S₂(SC₂H₅)₂], electrochemical properties of this compound and its SCH₃ and SCH₂C₆H₅ analogues were studied in various solvents and the magnetic properties of a subsequently isolated paramagnetic monocation were investigated. The cyclic voltammogram of [(η-C₅H₅)₂Fe₂S₂(SC₂H₅)₂] shows a reversible one-electron oxidation at E_{$\text{1}\text{2}$}= +0.21 V and a quasi-reversible one-electron oxidation at E_{$\text{1}\text{2}$} = +0.90 V (vs.saturated calomel electrode). The stable monocation has been electrochemically synthesized and the magnetic suceptibility shows a simple paramagnetic behavior with one unpaired electron per dimeric unit. Frozen solutions of this species at 103K yielded anisotropic ESR spectra with g₁ = 2.135, g₂ = 1.976, and g₃ = 1.934. Labeling the complex with ³³S in the disulfide bridge resulted in no observable hyperfine splitting or line broadening in the ESR. The dicationic species is unstable with respect to loss of the S₂ bridge and formation of a solvent-ligated dication, [(η-C₅H₅)Fe(NCCH₃)(SC₂H₅)]₂²⁺, isolated by electrolysis of the monocation at +1.2 V in CH₃CN.     

Cyclization reactions of 1,3-dibromopropan-2-ol, 2,3-dibromopropan-1-ol and 1-bromomethyloxirane with 6-amino-2,3-dihydro-2-thioxo-4(1H)-pyrimidinone

The cyclization reactions, carried out in strongly- or weakly-basic media, are described. Sometimes, 7-amino-2,3-dihydro-3-hydroxymethyl-5H-thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidin-5-one is separated out, together with 8-amino-3,4-dihydro-3-hydroxy-2H,6H-pyrimido[2,1-b][1,3]thiazin-6-one, as the principal product. A mechanism of reaction, during which the cyclizating agents are changed into oxirane derivatives, is proposed. The results of single-crystal X-ray investigations on 8-amino-3,4-dihydro-3-hydroxy-7-nitroso-2H,6H-pyrimido[2,1-b][1,3]thiazin-6-one (R = 0.035 for 1013 reflections), and on 7-hydroxymethyl-6,7-dihydrothiazolo[3,2-a][1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidin-9(1H)-one (R = 0.027 for 1607 reflections) are reported.     

Iridium/silicon multilayers for extreme ultraviolet applications in the 20-35 nm wavelength range

We have developed an Ir/Si multilayer for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) applications. Normal incidence reflectance measurements of a prototype film tuned to 30 nm wavelength show superior performance relative to a conventional Mo/Si multilayer structure; we also find good stability over time. Transmission electron microscopy and electron dispersive x-ray spectroscopy have been used to examine the microstructure and interface properties of this system: we find amorphous Si layers and polycrystalline Ir layers, with asymmetric interlayer regions of mixed composition. Potential applications of Ir/Si multilayers include instrumentation for solar physics and laboratory EUV beam manipulation.     

Strategies for Enhancing Polyester-Based Materials for Bone Fixation Applications

Polyester-based materials are established options, regarding the manufacturing of bone fixation devices and devices in routine clinical use. This paper reviews the approaches researchers have taken to develop these materials to improve their mechanical and biological performances. Polymer blending, copolymerisation, and the use of particulates and fibre bioceramic materials to make composite materials and surface modifications have all been studied. Polymer blending, copolymerisation, and particulate composite approaches have been adopted commercially, with the primary focus on influencing the in vivo degradation rate. There are emerging opportunities in novel polymer blends and nanoscale particulate systems, to tune bulk properties, and, in terms of surface functionalisation, to optimise the initial interaction of devices with the implanted environment, offering the potential to improve the clinical performances of fracture fixation devices.     

Crossed-beam dynamics studies of the radical-radical combustion reaction O((3)P) + CH3 (methyl)

The dynamics of the radical-radical reaction O((3)P) + CH(3), a prototypical case for the reactions of atomic oxygen with alkyl radicals of great relevance in combustion chemistry, has been investigated by means of the crossed molecular beam technique with mass spectrometric detection at a collision energy of 55.9 kJ mol(-1). The results have been examined in the light of previous kinetic and theoretical work. From product angular and velocity distribution measurements, the dynamics of the predominant H-displacement channel leading to formaldehyde formation has been characterized. This channel has been found to proceed via the formation of an osculating complex; a significant coupling between the product centre-of-mass angular and translational energy distributions has been noted. Experimental attempts to characterize the dynamics of the channel leading to HCO + H(2) have failed and it remains unclear whether HCO is formed by the reaction and/or, if formed, a part of HCO does not dissociate quickly into CO + H.     

Crossed Molecular Beams and Theoretical Studies of the O(3P)+1,2-Butadiene Reaction: Dominant Formation of Propene+CO and Ethylidene+Ketene Molecular Channels

Detailed understanding of the mechanism of the combustion relevant multichannel reactions of O(³P) with unsaturated hydrocarbons (UHs) requires the identification of all primary reaction products, the determination of their branching ratios and assessment of intersystem crossing (ISC) between triplet and singlet potential energy surfaces (PESs). This can be best achieved combining crossed-molecular-beam (CMB) experiments with universal, soft ionization, mass-spectrometric detection and time-of-flight analysis to high-level ab initio electronic structure calculations of triplet/singlet PESs and RRKM/Master Equation computations of branching ratios (BRs) including ISC. This approach has been recently demonstrated to be successful for O(³P) reactions with the simplest UHs (alkynes, alkenes, dienes) containing two or three carbon atoms. Here, we extend the combined CMB/theoretical approach to the next member in the diene series containing four C atoms, namely 1,2-butadiene (methylallene) to explore how product distributions, branching ratios and ISC vary with increasing molecular complexity going from O(³P))+propadiene to O(³P)+1,2-butadiene. In particular, we focus on the most important, dominant molecular channels, those forming propene+CO (with branching ratio ∽0.5) and ethylidene+ketene (with branching ratio ∽0.15), that lead to chain termination, to be contrasted to radical forming channels (branching ratio ∽0.35) which lead to chain propagation in combustion systems.     

Soft electron impact ionization in crossed molecular beam reactive scattering: the dynamics of the O((3)P)+C(2)H(2) reaction

Soft ionization by low-energy, tunable electrons is implemented for the first time in crossed molecular beam reactive scattering experiments with mass-spectrometric detection. The power of the method, which permits the suppression of the dissociative ionization of interfering species, is exemplified with the study of the O((3)P)+C(2)H(2) multichannel reaction.