Observation of a Distribution of Internal Transverse Magnetic Fields in a Mn12-Based Single Molecule Magnet

A distribution of internal transverse magnetic fields has been observed in single molecule magnet (SMM) Mn12-BrAc in the pure magnetic quantum tunneling (MQT) regime. Magnetic relaxation experiments at 0.4 K are used to produce a hole in the distribution of transverse fields whose angle and depth depend on the orientation and amplitude of an applied transverse ``digging field.'' The presence of such transverse magnetic fields can explain the main features of resonant MQT in this material, including the tunneling rates, the form of the relaxation and the absence of tunneling selection rules. We propose a model in which the transverse fields originate from a distribution of tilts of the molecular magnetic easy axes.Comment: 4 page

In search for molecules displaying ferromagnetic exchange: multiple-decker Ni12 and Ni16 complexes from the use of pyridine-2-amidoxime

The use of pyridine-2-amidoxime (pyaoxH2) in Ni chemistry has provided access to a dodecanuclear complex and a hexadecanuclear Ni cluster, namely [Ni12(pyaox)6(pyaoxH)6(MeOH)2Cl2]Cl4·5MeOH (1·5MeOH) and [Ni16(pyaox)8(pyaoxH)8(MeOH)4](SO4)4·10H2O·26MeOH (2·10H2O·26MeOH). Complex 1·5MeOH was isolated by the reaction of NiCl2·6H2O, pyaoxH2 and NaOMe in a 1 : 1 : 2 molar ratio in MeOH in 60% yield. Treatment of NiSO4·6H2O with pyaoxH2 and NEt3 in a 1 : 1 : 2 molar ratio in MeOH afforded 2·10H2O·26MeOH in good yield (65%). The two compounds display a multi-decker configuration based on stacked Ni4 layers, {Ni4(pyaox)2(pyaoxH)2}2+x (x = 3, 1·5MeOH; x = 4, 2·10H2O·26MeOH); each deck consists of two square planar and two octahedral NiII centres. The number of decks observed in 1·5MeOH and 2·10H2O·26MeOH depends on the nature of the inorganic anion that is present in the reaction system, which provides elements of synthetic control towards new high nuclearity NiII species. 2·10H2O·26MeOH is the first structurally characterized complex of any metal displaying a quadruple-decker configuration, being also the highest nuclearity metal cluster bearing pyaoxH2 and the highest nuclearity NiII cluster with any type of 2-pyridyl oxime. Each cluster cation displays ferromagnetic exchange between the octahedral NiII ions resulting in a spin ground state of S = 6 for 1 and S = 8 for 2. Magnetothermal studies have been performed and discussed for both clusters.CP and CE thank the School of Chemistry, NUI Galway, for the financial support. RI thanks the Royal Society of Edinburgh and ME thanks Spanish MINECO (MAT2015-68204-R) for funding. LCS acknowledges the financial support by FEDER (Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional) through PT2020, by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) for the research centre REQUIMTE/LAQV (UID/QUI/50006/2013) and for the grant SFRH/BPD/111899/2015.Peer Reviewe

Ipsilateral vagotomy to unilaterally ovariectomized pre-pubertal rats modifies compensatory ovarian responses

The present study evaluates the participation of the vagus nerve in pre-pubertal rats with unilateral ovariectomy on puberty onset, and on progesterone, testosterone and estradiol serum levels, and the compensatory responses of the ovary. Unilateral vagotomy did not modify the onset of puberty in unilaterally ovariectomized rats. Ovulation rates of animals with the left vagus nerve sectioned and the left ovary in-situ was lower than in rats with only unilateral ovariectomy. Sectioning the left vagus to 32-day old rats with the left ovary in-situ resulted in lower compensatory ovarian hypertrophy than in rats with right unilateral ovariectomy. Twenty-eight or 32-day old animals with sectioning of the right vagus nerve and the right ovary in situ showed higher compensatory ovulation. Twenty-eight -day old rats with the right ovary in situ had higher progesterone and testosterone levels than animals of the same age with the left ovary in-situ. Compared to animals with the right ovary in situ, animals treated at 32-days of age, sectioning the ipsi-lateral vagus nerve resulted in higher progesterone levels. Higher progesterone levels were observed in 28- and 32 days old rats with the left ovary in situ and left vagus nerve sectioned. Thirty-two day old animals with the right ovary in situ and right vagus nerve sectioned had higher progesterone levels than rats of the same age with the left ovary in situ and left vagus nerve sectioned. Left vagotomy to 28-day old rats with the left ovary in situ resulted in higher testosterone levels, a reverse response to that observed in animals with sectioning of the right vagus and the right ovary in situ. Thirty-two day old rats with the left ovary in situ and left vagus nerve sectioned showed lower testosterone levels than animals without vagotomy and with the left ovary in situ

Nuclear organization and 3D chromatin architecture in cognition and neuropsychiatric disorders

The current view of neuroplasticity depicts the changes in the strength and number of synaptic connections as the main physical substrate for behavioral adaptation to new experiences in a changing environment. Although transcriptional regulation is known to play a role in these synaptic changes, the specific contribution of activity-induced changes to both the structure of the nucleus and the organization of the genome remains insufficiently characterized. Increasing evidence indicates that plasticity-related genes may work in coordination and share architectural and transcriptional machinery within discrete genomic foci. Here we review the molecular and cellular mechanisms through which neuronal nuclei structurally adapt to stimuli and discuss how the perturbation of these mechanisms can trigger behavioral malfunction

Receptor Tyrosine Kinases in Osteosarcoma: 2019 Update

The primary conclusions of our 2014 contribution to this series were as follows: Multiple receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) likely contribute to aggressive phenotypes in osteosarcoma and, therefore, inhibition of multiple RTKs is likely necessary for successful clinical outcomes. Inhibition of multiple RTKs may also be useful to overcome resistance to inhibitors of individual RTKs as well as resistance to conventional chemotherapies. Different combinations of RTKs are likely important in individual patients. AXL, EPHB2, FGFR2, IGF1R, and RET were identified as promising therapeutic targets by our in vitro phosphoproteomic/siRNA screen of 42 RTKs in the highly metastatic LM7 and 143B human osteosarcoma cell lines. This chapter is intended to provide an update on these topics as well as the large number of osteosarcoma clinical studies of inhibitors of multiple tyrosine kinases (multi-TKIs) that were recently published