103 research outputs found
Dynamics of Nucleation in the Ising Model
Reactive pathways to nucleation in a three-dimensional Ising model at 60% of
the critical temperature are studied using transition path sampling of single
spin flip Monte Carlo dynamics. Analysis of the transition state ensemble (TSE)
indicates that the critical nuclei are rough and anisotropic. The TSE,
projected onto the free energy surface characterized by cluster size, N, and
surface area, S, indicates the significance of other variables in addition to
these two traditional reaction coordinates for nucleation. The transmission
coefficient along N is ~ 0.35, and this reduction of the transmission
coefficient from unity is explained in terms of the stochastic nature of the
dynamic model.Comment: In press at the Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 7 pages, 8 figure
Where Should Governments Invest? The Impact of Economic, Political, Social and Technological Factors on the Formation of New Firms
Development of voltage-dependent ionic currents in rat cerebellar granule cells grown in primary culture
Pharmacological profile of apigenin, a flavonoid isolated from Matricaria chamomilla
Dried flowers of Matricaria chamomilla L. are largely used to provide sedative as well as spasmolytic effects. In the present study, we examined in particular the pharmacological property of a fraction isolated from a methanolic extract of M. chamomilla, which was identified by HPLC-MS-MS analysis as apigenin. By radioreceptor binding assays, we demonstrated the ability of the flavone to displace a specific radioligand, [3H]Ro 15-1788, from the central benzodiazepine binding site. Electrophysiological studies performed on cultured cerebellar granule cells showed that apigenin reduced GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)-activated Cl-currents in a dose-dependent fashion. The effect was blocked by co-application of Ro 15-1788, a specific benzodiazepine receptor antagonist. Accordingly, apigenin reduced the latency in the onset of picrotoxin-induced convulsions. Moreover, apigenin injected i.p. in rats reduced locomotor activity, but did not demonstrate anxiolytic, myorelaxant, or anticonvulsant activities. The present results seem to suggest that the inhibitory activity of apigenin on locomotor behaviour in rats cannot be ascribed to an interaction with GABA(A)-benzodiazepine receptor but to other neurotransmission systems, since it is not blocked by Ro 15-1788. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc
Terfenadine prevents NMDA receptor-dependent and -independent toxicity following sodium channel activation
Exposure of cultured cerebellar neurons to terfenadine prevented the N- methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated early appearance (30 min) of toxicity signs induced by the voltage sensitive sodium channel (VSSC) activator veratridine. Delayed neurotoxicity by veratridine (24 h) occurring independently from NMDA receptor activation was also prevented by terfenadine. Terfenadine did not protect from excitotoxicity following direct exposure of neurons to glutamate. Our results suggest that terfenadine may modulate endogenous glutamate release following activation of VSSCs
Expression patterns of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor subunit mRNAs in primary cultures of granule neurons and astrocytes from neonatal rat cerebella.
Design of 1-substituted 2-arylmethyl-4,5-methylenedioxybenzene derivatives as antiseizure agents
A series of 1-substituted 2-[(4-aryl)-methyl]-4,5-methylenedioxybenzene derivatives (13-25), structurally related to model compound 5 (2-[(4-aminophenyl)-(4-methylsemicarbazono)-methyl]-4,5- methylenedioxyphenylacetic acid methyl ester), were synthesized and tested as anticonvulsant agents in DBA/2 mice against sound-induced seizures. The new compounds possess anticonvulsant properties lower than those of prototype 5 but, in some instances, comparable to that of GYKI 52466, a well-known noncompetitive AMPA receptor antagonist. \ua9 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
A Rationale for Allopregnanolone Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders: Basic and Clinical Studies
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