Human neuronal stargazin-like proteins, γ2, γ3 and γ4; an investigation of their specific localization in human brain and their influence on CaV2.1 voltage-dependent calcium channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes.

Background  

Stargazin (γ₂) and the closely related γ₃, and γ₄ transmembrane proteins are part of a family of proteins that may act as both neuronal voltage-dependent calcium channel (VDCC) γ subunits and transmembrane α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazoleproponinc (AMPA) receptor regulatory proteins (TARPs). In this investigation, we examined the distribution patterns of the stargazin-like proteins γ₂, γ₃, and γ₄ in the human central nervous system (CNS). In addition, we investigated whether human γ₂ or γ₄ could modulate the electrophysiological properties of a neuronal VDCC complex transiently expressed in Xenopus oocytes.     

Mixing characteristics of turbulent water vapour jets measured using an isokinetic sampling probe

 Horizontal turbulent water vapour (steam) jets were discharged into ambient air from a circular convergent nozzle under unchoked/choked and saturated/superheated nozzle exit conditions, resulting in two-phase (liquid and vapour), two-fluid (air and water) condensing free jets. Flow properties and mixing characteristics have been measured with the aid of an isokinetic sampling probe arrangement. Radial and axial profiles of air and steam mass flow rates and mass fractions were measured from which entrainment, centreline decay and half-width spreading rates were calculated and compared with data from the literature. Overall, the mixing characteristics of the condensing jets are very similar to those of non-condensing jets extensively reported in the literature. Received: 30 September 1996 / Accepted: 19 May 1997     

An LDV system for turbulence length scale measurements

An LDV system for making spatial correlation measurements of velocity fluctuations in turbulent nonreacting and reacting flows is presented. The LDV system is the dual beam type and consists of an elongated probe volume and a two-point optical fiber detector. Results are presented of the integral length scale measured in a nonreacting grid generated turbulent flow.A version of this paper was presented at the ASME Winter Annual Meeting of 1984 and printed in AMD, Vol. 66     

First and second moments for self‐similar couplings and Wasserstein distances

We study aspects of the Wasserstein distance in the context of self‐similar measures. Computing this distance between two measures involves minimising certain moment integrals over the space of couplings, which are measures on the product space with the original measures as prescribed marginals. We focus our attention on self‐similar measures associated to equicontractive iterated function systems consisting of two maps on the unit interval and satisfying the open set condition. We are particularly interested in understanding the restricted family of self‐similar couplings and our main achievement is the explicit computation of the 1st and 2nd moment integrals for such couplings. We show that this family is enough to yield an explicit formula for the 1st Wasserstein distance and provide non‐trivial upper and lower bounds for the 2nd Wasserstein distance for these self‐similar measures.     

Solution-phase counterion effects in supramolecular and mechanostereochemical systems

The self-assembly of molecular components into complex superstructures involves the subtle interplay of various noncovalent forces. Charged species are often utilised in self-assembly processes as a result of the favorable π-π, cation-π, electrostatic, and hydrogen bonding interactions that form between these species. Although the counterions associated with these charged species can exert significant effects on the synthesis, stability, and operation of superstructures in solution, rarely are the counterions considered, leading to misinterpretations and misunderstandings of the studied systems. In this tutorial review, we discuss a variety of solution-phase counterion effects, from the fundamental origins to innovative ways in which these effects are exploited for useful functions.     

Degenerate [2]rotaxanes with electrostatic barriers

A synthetic approach to the preparation of [2]rotaxanes (1-5·6PF(6)) incorporating bispyridinium derivatives and two 1,5-dioxynaphthalene (DNP) units situated in the rod portions of their dumbbell components that are encircled by a single cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) tetracationic (CBPQT(4+)) ring has been developed. Since the π-electron-deficient bispyridinium units are introduced into the dumbbell components of the [2]rotaxanes 1-5·6PF(6), there are Coulombic charge-charge repulsions between these dicationic units and the CBPQT(4+) ring in the [2]rotaxanes. Thus, the CBPQT(4+) rings in the degenerate [2]rotaxanes exhibit slow shuttling between two DNP recognition sites on the (1)H NMR time-scale on account of the electrostatic barrier posed by the bispyridinium units, as demonstrated by variable-temperature (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Electrochemical experiments carried out on the [2]rotaxanes 1·6PF(6) and 2·6PF(6) indicate that the one-electron reduced bipyridinium radical cation in the dumbbell components of the [2]rotaxanes serves as an additional recognition site for the two-electron reduced CBPQT(2(˙+)) diradical cationic ring. Under appropriate conditions, the ring components in the degenerate rotaxanes 1·6PF(6) and 2·6PF(6) can shuttle along the recognition sites--two DNP units and one-electron reduced bipyridinium radical cation--under redox control.     

Pd-catalyzed α-arylation of nitriles and esters and γ-arylation of unsaturated nitriles with TMPZnCl·LiCl

Using TMPZnCl·LiCl as a kinetically highly active base, nitriles and esters undergo a Pd-catalyzed α-arylation under mild conditions. Remarkably, in the case of α,β- or β,γ-unsaturated nitriles, a regioselective γ-arylation or a γ-alkenylation is observed.     

Analysis of high-molecular-weight fructan polymers in crude plant extracts by high-resolution LC-MS

The main water-soluble carbohydrates in temperate forage grasses are polymeric fructans. Fructans consist of fructose chains of various chain lengths attached to sucrose as a core molecule. In grasses, fructans are a complex mixture of a large number of isomeric oligomers with a degree of polymerisation ranging from 3 to >100. Accurate monitoring and unambiguous peak identification requires chromatographic separation coupled to mass spectrometry. The mass range of ion trap mass spectrometers is limited, and we show here how monitoring selected multiply charged ions can be used for the detection and quantification of individual isomers and oligomers of high mass, particularly those of high degree of polymerization (DP > 20) in complex plant extracts. Previously reported methods using linear ion traps with low mass resolution have been shown to be useful for the detection of fructans with a DP up to 49. Here, we report a method using high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) using an Exactive Orbitrap MS which greatly improves the signal-to-noise ratio and allows the detection of fructans up to DP = 100. High-sugar (HS) Lolium perenne cultivars with high concentrations of these fructans have been shown to be of benefit to the pastoral agricultural industry because they improve rumen nitrogen use efficiency and reduce nitrous oxide emissions from pastures. We demonstrate with our method that these HS grasses not only contain increased amounts of fructans in leaf blades but also accumulate fructans with much higher DP compared to cultivars with normal sugar levels.