Cognitive outcome and gamma noise power unrelated to neuregulin 1 and 3 variation in schizophrenia

Background Neuregulins are a family of signalling proteins that orchestrate a broad range of cellular responses. Four genes encoding Neuregulins 1–4 have been identified so far in vertebrates. Among them, Neuregulin 1 and Neuregulin 3 have been reported to contribute to an increased risk for developing schizophrenia. We hypothesized that three specific variants of these genes (rs6994992 and rs3924999 for Neuregulin 1 and rs10748842 for Neuregulin 3) that have been related to this illness may modify information processing capacity in the cortex, which would be reflected in electrophysiological parameters (P3b amplitude or gamma noise power) and/or cognitive performance. Methods We obtained DNA from 31 patients with schizophrenia and 23 healthy controls and analyzed NRG1 rs6994992, NRG1 rs3924999 and NRG3 rs10748842 promoter polymorphisms by allelic discrimination with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We compared cognitive outcome, P300 amplitude parameters and an electroencephalographic measure of noise power in the gamma band between the groups dichotomized according to genotype. Results Contrary to our hypothesis, we could not detect any significant influence of variation in Neuregulin 1/Neuregulin 3 polymorphisms on cognitive performance or electrophysiological parameters of patients with schizophrenia. Conclusions Despite our findings, we cannot discard that other genetic variants and, more likely, interactions between those variants and with genetic variation related to different pathways may still influence cerebral processing in schizophrenia

Alteraciones de la superficie del cuerpo vertebral en una población medieval de Logroño (s. XI y XII)

X Congreso Nacional de Paleopatología. Univesidad Autónoma de Madrid, septiembre de 200

Chiral transition-metal complexes as Brønsted-acid catalysts for the asymmetric Friedel-Crafts hydroxyalkylation of indoles.

The Friedel-Crafts reaction between 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvates and indoles is efficiently catalysed by the iridium complex [(η5-C 5Me5)Ir{(R)-Prophos}(H2O)][SbF 6]2 (1) with up to 84% ee. Experimental data and theoretical calculations support a mechanism involving the Brønsted-acid activation of the pyruvate carbonyl by the protons of the coordinated water molecule in 1. Water is not dissociated during the process and, therefore, the catalytic reaction occurs with no direct interaction between the substrates and the metal. This journal is © the Partner Organisations 2014.The authors acknowledge the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO, Grants CTQ2006-03030/BQU, CTQ2009-10303/BQU, CTQ2011-27033 and Consolider Ingenio 2010 CSD2006-003), Gobierno de Aragón (Grupo Consolidado: Catálisis Homogénea Enantioselectiva), Generalitat de Catalunya (2009SGR0259) and the ICIQ foundation for financial support. A. S. and R. R. acknowledge MINECO for predoctoral fellowships. S. D.-G. acknowledges MINECO for a “Torres Quevedo” contract.Peer Reviewe

Intramolecular C-C Coupling Reactions of Alkynyl, Vinylidene, and Alkenylphosphane Ligands in Rhodium(III) Complexes

Electrophilic attack with methyl trifluoromethanesulfonate or tetrafluoroboric acid, to new alkynyl rhodium complexes containing alkenylphosphanes, leads to butenynyl coupling products or to the unprecedented rhodaphosphacycle complexes Rh(¿5-C5Me5){¿4-(P, C, C, C)-iPr2PCH2C(=CH2)C(CH2R)C=C(R)}]BF4] (R = Ph (11a), p-tol (11b)). These complexes 11a, b can be explained as a result of the coupling of three organic fragments in the molecule, the alkynyl, the vinylidene, generated in situ by reaction with HBF4 (A), and the C-C double bond from the alkenylphosphane. DFT computational studies on the formation of complex 11a suggest the 2 + 2] intramolecular cycloaddition between the double bond of the allylphosphane and the Ca-Cß of the vinylidene A as the most plausible pathway for this reaction

Sesquiterpenyl indoles

Clasificación biosínteis y sínteis de índoles sesquiterpénicosThe natural product sesquiterpenyl indoles are structural hybrids fromfarnesyl pyrophosphate and tryptophan or its precursors, often with unusual and complex structural features,many of themwith interesting biological activities. In this review the compounds of this class known until now are classified, a biosynthetic approach of each group is proposed and a review of the synthesis or synthetic approaches is communicatedJunta de Castilla y León Fondo Social Europeo Universidad de Salamanc

MBE growth of Quantum nanostructures for optoelectronics

Ponencia presemtada en el Workshop on Frontier Photonic and Electronic Materials and Devices - German-Japanese-Spanish Joint Workshop, celebrado en Kyoto del 11 al 14 de julio de 2015.Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) is a powerful technique for the fabrication of several self-assembled III-V nanostructures such as quantum rings, quantum dots, and quantum wires that can cover a wide range of the spectrum from 0.98 μm to 1.6 μm. The possibility of performing in-situ, real-time, measurements of accumulated stress (Σσ) during growth of these nanostructures enables to achieve a deep understanding of the growth processes. For example, whereas quantum rings (QR) formation is crucially linked to the presence of liquid indium on the surface, quantum wires (QWR) are produced as an effective way of relaxing a large asymmetrical accumulated stress present on the sample. This information allows a fine-tuning of the optoelectronic properties by controlling their size and shape. Furthermore, the capability of tracking Σσ during growth is used to engineer strain compensated structures like multilayer quantum dot solar cells.CHE-0641523, CSIC-PIF200950I154,S2009ESP-1503, S2009ENE-1477 and AIC-B-2011-0806, MAT2011-26534.Peer Reviewe

Cp*Fe(Me2PCH2CH2PMe2)(CHO) : hydride shuttle reactivity of a thermally stable formyl complex.

[Cp*Fe(Me2PCH2CH2PMe2)(CO)]+ [BArF24]− has been synthesised and characterised using single crystal X-ray diffraction, NMR and IR spectroscopies. Reduction of the CO ligand using Na[Et3BH] produces the corresponding neutral formyl complex Cp*Fe(Me2PCH2CH2PMe2)(CHO), that is very thermally stable, and which is attributed to the electron-releasing properties of the spectator ligands. This compound is a potent hydride donor which exists in equilibrium with [Et3BH]−, Et3B, and the structural isomer (η4-C5Me5H)Cp*Fe(Me2PCH2CH2PMe2)(CO), resulting from reversible hydride migration to the Cp* ligand

Synthesis of di(Imdazolium) and di(Pyrazolium) Salts as Precursors for N-heterocyclic Dicarbene Complexes

Alpha,omega-bis(pyrazol-1-yl)alkanes and alpha,omega-bis(imidazol-1-yl)alkanes with spacers consisting of four to ten methylene groups have been prepared from pyrazole, 3,5-dimethylpyrazole or imidazole and corresponding dibromoalkanes in a superbasic medium KOH-DMSO. The proposed method of synthesis allowed the preparation of new flexible bidentate ligands without the need to use toxic solvents and tedious workup procedures. Bis(pyrazol-1-yl)alkanes were further functionalized for their use as precursors for “non-classical” mesoionic N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. One the first step, iodine atoms were introduced to positions 4 of pyrazole rings by oxidative iodination using I[2]-HIO[3] system. On the next step, nitrogen atoms in positions 2 of pyrazole rings were alkylated using several agents. Reaction with methyliodide unexpectedly led to the formation of only mono-alkylated products even after 7 days of refluxing in a neat alkyliodide. Methylation by trimethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate or methyltriflate led to dimethylated products in high yields. Bis(imidazol-1-yl)alkanes were easily alkylated by methyliodide to give di(imidazolium) salts – precursors to “classic” N-heterocyclic dicarbenes

Effects of transcranial static magnetic field stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on random number generation

OBJECTIVE: Focal application of transcranial static magnetic field stimulation (tSMS) is a neuromodulation technique, with predominantly inhibitory effects when applied to the motor, somatosensory or visual cortex. Whether this approach can also transiently interact with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) function remains unclear. The suppression of habitual or competitive responses is one of the core executive functions linked to DLPFC function. This study aimed to assess the impact of tSMS on the prefrontal contributions to inhibitory control and response selection by means of a RNG task. METHODS: We applied 20 min of tSMS over the left DLPFC of healthy subjects, using a real/sham cross-over design, during performance of a RNG task. We used an index of randomness calculated with the measures of entropy and correlation to assess the impact of stimulation on DLPFC function. RESULTS: The randomness index of the sequences generated during the tSMS intervention was significantly higher compared to those produced in the sham condition. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that application of tSMS transiently modulates specific functional brain networks in DLPFC, which indicate a potential use of tSMS for treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. SIGNIFICANCE: This study provides evidence for the capacity of tSMS for modulating DLPFC function