Exploring the functional domain and the target of the tetanus toxin light chain in neurohypophysial terminals

The tetanus toxin light chain blocks calcium induced vasopressin release from neurohypophysial nerve terminals. Here we show that histidine residue 233 within the putative zinc binding motif of the tetanus toxin light chain is essential for the inhibition of exocytosis, in the rat. The zinc chelating agent dipicolinic acid as well as captopril, an inhibitor of zinc-dependent peptidases, counteract the effect of the neurotoxin. Synthetic peptides, the sequences of which correspond to motifs present in the cytoplasmic domain of the synaptic vesicle membrane protein synaptobrevin 1 and 2, prevent the effect of the tetanus toxin light chain. Our results indicate that zinc bound to the zinc binding motif constitutes the active site of the tetanus toxin light chain. Moreover they suggest that cleavage of synaptobrevin by the neurotoxin causes the inhibition of exocytotic release of vasopressin from secretory granules

π\pi-Electron Ferromagnetism in Metal Free Carbon Probed by Soft X-Ray Dichroism

Elemental carbon represents a fundamental building block of matter and the possibility of ferromagnetic order in carbon attracted widespread attention. However, the origin of magnetic order in such a light element is only poorly understood and has puzzled researchers. We present a spectromicroscopy study at room temperature of proton irradiated metal free carbon using the elemental and chemical specificity of x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). We demonstrate that the magnetic order in the investigated system originates only from the carbon $\pi$-electron system.Comment: 10 pages 3 color figure

Induced Magnetic Ordering by Proton Irradiation in Graphite

We provide evidence that proton irradiation of energy 2.25 MeV on highly-oriented pyrolytic graphite samples triggers ferro- or ferrimagnetism. Measurements performed with a superconducting quantum interferometer device (SQUID) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM) reveal that the magnetic ordering is stable at room temperature.Comment: 3 Figure

1-Di­phenyl­phosphanyl-2-(di­phenyl­phosphor­yl)hydrazine

The title compound, C24H22N2OP2, is an asymmetrically substituted hydrazine derivative bearing a phosphoryl and a phosphanyl substituent. The PNNP backbone has a torsion angle of −131.01 (8)°. In the crystal, mol­ecules form centrosymmetric dimers by inter­molecular N—H...O hydrogen bonds, which are further linked into a three-dimensional network by weak C—H...O and C—H...π inter­actions

Tetra­carbon­yl[N-(di­phenyl­phosphanyl-κP)-N,N′-diisoprop­yl-P-phenyl­phospho­rus di­amide-κP]molybdenum(0) with an unknown solvent

The title complex, [Mo(C24H30N2P2)(CO)4], contains a molybdenum centre bearing a P,P′-cis-chelating Ph2PN(iPr)P(Ph)NH(iPr) and four carbonyl ligands in a distorted octa­hedral coordination geometry. This results in a nearly planar four-membered metallacycle. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by N—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds to form layers parallel to the ac plane. For the final refinement, the contributions of disordered solvent mol­ecules were removed from the diffraction data with SQUEEZE in PLATON [Spek (2015). Acta Cryst. C71, 9–18]. The given chemical formula and other crystal data do not take into account the unknown solvent mol­ecule(s)

Serum S100B is increased during early treatment with antipsychotics and in deficit schizophrenia

Previous studies reported controversial results concerning alterations of astrocytes in schizophrenia. Because S100B may be regarded as a marker for astrocytes, the objective of this study was to examine S100B serum concentrations in 30 patients with schizophrenia with a monoclonal two-site immunoluminometric assay that specifically detects S100B. An ANOVA revealed medication (p0.05). Patients with deficit (250.6±154.9 ng/l) had higher S100B levels than patients with nondeficit schizophrenia (146.7±107.2 ng/l, p<0.05) or controls (p<0.005). S100B was positively correlated with the subscore ‘thought disturbance’ of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (p<0.05). In summary, increased serum levels of S100B may indicate alterations of astrocytes during early treatment with antipsychotics and in deficit schizophrenia. Whether S100B is elevated due to injured astrocytes and a disrupted blood–brain barrier, or by active secretion of S100B by astrocytes, has to be clarified by further studies