Calcium-activated chloride channels in mouse vomeronasal sensory neurons

In vomeronasal sensory neurons, signal transduction occurs in microvilli that are present at the neuron\u2019s apical surface. The binding of pheromone to vomeronasal receptors causes an increase of the intracellular calcium concentration by calcium entry through TRPC2. An important issue is the impact of Ca2+ entry in pheromonal transduction. In the first part of this thesis we have investigated the functional role played by the increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration in the apical region of vomeronasal sensory neurons. By taking advantage of flash photolysis of caged calcium restricted to the apical region of neurons, we have measured a calcium-activated current with the whole-cell voltage-clamp technique. Our results demonstrated that a large current is indeed activated by calcium in the apical region of mouse vomeronasal sensory neurons and our immunohistochemistry data has revealed the presence of the proteins TMEM16A and TMEM16B, responsible for calcium-activated chloride channels, in the microvilli of vomeronasal sensory neurons. Therefore we have concluded that calcium-activated chloride channels are present at high density in the region where signal transduction occurs and therefore may play an important role in vomeronasal transduction. In the second part of this thesis we have characterized in more detail the calcium activated currents in mouse vomeronasal sensory neurons using the whole-cell voltage-clamp technique in the presence of various intracellular Ca2+ concentrations. From the dose-response relation we determined that the Ca2+ concentration necessary to activate 50% of the maximal current was 1.4 \ub5M at -100 mV and 0.6 \ub5M at +100 mV. From ion selectivity experiments, we found that the current is carried by anions. Moreover, we demonstrated that some of the commonly used Cl- channel blockers, NFA and CaCCinh-A01, do inhibit the Ca2+-activated current in vomeronasal sensory neurons. Further studies with knockout mice for TMEM16A or TMEM16B will be necessary to establish the physiological role of these channels in vomeronasal transduction

Exchange Coupling In Molecular Magnets: Zero, One And Three Dimensions

Molecular magnets with different dimensionality, whether they are zero-dimensional singlemolecule magnets (SMM) or one-dimensional single-chain magnets (SCM) are very interesting, since they allow probing the fundamental aspects bordering quantum and classical physics at the nanoscale level. This dissertation covers experimental studies of two Mn-based exchangecoupled molecule-based magnets and two Co-based single-chain magnets, using both dc Halleffect magnetometry and electron paramagnet resonance (EPR) techniques. In these multidimensional systems, the spin of the molecule exhibits quantum mechanical behavior at low temperature. It is quite interesting to observe the effect of magnetic exchange interactions on the magnetic properties of various complexes; hence they strongly affect the magnetic behavior. In this dissertation, the research is initiated with the study of low-magnetic-nuclearity molecules, starting with a spectroscopic study of a significantly anisotropic Mn(IV) monomer. At low temperature the molecule possesses easy-plane type anisotropy of a remarkable magnitude. Although the molecule is not a single-molecule magnet, the remarkable anisotropy can initiate synthesis of newer and better molecular magnets with Mn(IV) as the main building block. Furthermore, the interplay between the magnetic anisotropy and the inter-ion exchange interactions (J) within the molecule are probed for a dimer and a trimer where the magnetic core is comprised of two and three ions respectively. In the Mn-based case of the dimer, the low coupling between the atoms leads to significant state mixing, thus making it impossible to assign the individual spin states to the dimer or to the respective individual Mn(II) ions. In the case of iv the trimer, lowering of the symmetry achieved by fine tuning of the inter-ion exchange interactions leads to relieving of frustration in the antiferromagnetic (AF) triangular Mn(III) system, resulting in a well defined ground state and significant zero field splitting. Also a clear hysteretic behavior observed in this system demonstrates its SMM nature at low temperature. Finally, high-field high-frequency magnetic and spectroscopic studies performed on two cobalt-based SCMs reveal that formation of magnetic domains by exchange interactions within the chain are strongly influenced by thermal fluctuations. The chain possesses a uniaxial anisotropy with the quantization axis lying along the length of the chain. Moreover it is shown that modulation of the magnitude of inter- and intra-chain interactions results in a threedimensional dynamics in one of the samples. Interestingly, detailed dc magnetic studies show a tunable crossover between one- and three-dimensional magnetic dynamics as a function of temperature and/or magnetic field sweep rate. Our voyage through several molecular systems of different dimensionality have allowed us to expand our understanding of the role of exchange interactions on the magnetic behavior in molecular magnetis

Moderating role of self-congruence: Impact of brand personality on Brand attachment through the Mediating role of Trust

Increasingly companies are focused on searching for ways to create strong brand connections with consumers. It is illustrated that such connections lead to higher levels of consumer loyalty, which increases companies’ financial performance. The main purpose of this study is to explore the impact of brand personality on brand attachment through the mediating role of trust. Also investigate the moderating role of self-congruence on the relationship between brand personality and brand trust.  SPSS 23 is used to analyze the data. Data was collected through survey questionnaire technique and snow-ball sampling technique was used for data collection. Analysis reveal Brand personality have significant and positive relationship with brand trust. On the other side trust significantly enhance the brand attachment. While the results prove that self-congruence have significant moderating effect on the relationship between brand personality and brand trust.&nbsp

Impact of service quality on Loyalty & Mediating role of Trust: An empirical investigation of Restaurants

Study was conducted to investigate the relationship between service quality, trust and loyalty. The trust is mediating between service quality and loyalty. Service quality provided to the customer is responsibility of the restaurants. Using a convenient sampling data was collected from consumers. Service quality positively associated with trust and loyalty and trust is also positively linked with loyalty and mediates the relationship between service quality and loyalty according to our finding. This article helps the organizations to understand the importance of service quality provide and how consumers become loyal to the organization. Customer retention is higher and profitability is greater for the business over the long period of time.&nbsp

Tm(III) complexes undergoing slow relaxation of magnetization: exchange coupling and aging effects

The present study focuses on the dynamical magnetic behaviour of exchange coupled 3d-4f complexes containing the scarcely considered non Kramers Tm3+ center, the 3d metal ions being either the low-spin Fe3+ (1) or the diamagnetic Co3+ (2) ion. Both complexes display field-dependent slow relaxation of magnetization. The field and temperature dependences of the relaxation rate provided indication of relevant contributions from quantum tunnelling, direct and Raman processes, with only minor effects from exchange coupling interactions. Furthermore, aged sample of 2 exhibited additional relaxation process, possibly due to solvent loss, highlighting the importance of a careful consideration of this factor when analysing the magnetization dynamics in solvated systems

Multiple Magnetization Reversal Channels Observed in a 3d-4f Single Molecule Magnet

The present study discusses the magnetic dynamics of a previously reported cyanide bridged 3d-4f dinuclear DyIIICoIII complex. Following the axial anisotropy suggested by previous Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy (EPR) analysis, the complex turned out to show slow relaxation of the magnetization at cryogenic temperature, and this was studied in different temperature and field regimes. The existence of multichannel relaxation pathways that reverse the magnetization was clearly disclosed: a tentative analysis suggested that these channels can be triggered and controlled as a function of applied static magnetic field and temperature. Persistent evidence of a temperature independent process even at higher fields, attributable to quantum tunneling, is discussed, while the temperature dependent dynamics is apparently governed by an Orbach process. The broad distribution of relaxation rates evidenced by the ac susceptibility measurements suggest a relevant role of the intermolecular interactions in this system

Petrology and geochemistry of Plio-Quaternary high-Nb basalts from Shahr-e-Babak area:Insights into post-collision magmatic processes in the Kerman Cenozoic Magmatic Arc

Post-collision Pliocene-Quaternary basaltic rocks outcrop in the Kerman Cenozoic Magmatic Arc (KCMA) to the northwest and east of Shahr-e-Babak city. These porphyritic and vesicular basaltic rocks are composed essentially of clinopyroxene, olivine, and plagioclase. These basalts display alkaline affinity and negative Ta, Zr, Rb anomaly, but slightly negative Nb anomaly, relative to elements with similar compatibility, and positive Ba, K, Sr anomaly, suggesting their magma source related to subduction-accretion with implication of subducted slab derived components to the source. In the primitive mantle and chondrite normalized diagrams, these rocks show trace elements (except depletion in Nb, Ta) and Rare Earth Element (REE) patterns similar to the Ocean Island Basalts (OIB) and share trace and major element characteristics similar to High-Nb Basalts (HNBs). Geochemical analyses for major and trace elements suggest that the Shahr-e-Babak HNBs have undergone insignificant crustal contamination and minor olivine + Fe-Ti oxide ±clinopyroxene fractional crystallization. These HNBs derived from a partial melting (~5%) of garnet-peridotite mantle wedge, which have already metasomatized by overlying sediments, fluids, and adakitic (slab-derived) melts as major metasomatic agents in post-collision setting in the KCMA. We conclude that asthenospheric upwelling arising from slab break-off followed by the roll-back of subducting Neotethys slab also triggered metasomatized peridotite mantle wedge and caused its partial melting in the subduction zone

Double Action p-n Junction Fabrication and Investigation for Solar cell and LED Application

Today, energy is fundamental agenda of the world. For electricity energy generation, price analysis factor is most crucial as cost of energy generation is increasing day by day throughout the world. This research describes some studies on low cost device with double action p-n junction. Thin films of ITO, n-type ZnS and Zn doped GaAs (1:2) are deposited on glass substrate by RF magnetron sputtering. Spectroscopic Ellipsometer is used for optical measurements of extracts. Under illumination (AM 1.5), device acts as solar cell with PCE of 2.4%. By applying reverse bias voltage radiative recombination also takes place in active region (Eg= 2.2ev) and device act as green color LED (with low band width) in wavelength range of 520-523nm. However, it is possible to improve emission capability and band width, by decreasing non-radiative recombination.