Bistable spin-state switching characteristic of a charge-neutral iron(II) complex

Spin-crossover (SCO) complexes that show abrupt and hysteretic spin-state switching characteristics—termed as bistable spin-state switching—are proposed suitable to realize molecule-based switching and memory elements. For realistic applications, spin-state switching needs to be demonstrated in the thin film state, requiring vacuum sublimation of SCO complexes to fabricate clean and impurity-free thin films. Charge-neutral iron(II) complexes are a class of SCO complexes that are reported to undergo sublimation, and their spin-state switching characteristics in the thin film state have been studied. However, hysteretic SCO in the thin film state is a scarcely observed phenomenon, requiring the development of iron(II) charge-neutral complexes that can undergo bistable spin-state switching in the bulk and thin film states. Herein, we report a new iron(II) charge-neutral complex—[Fe(H2Bpz2)24,4\u27-Br2-bpy] (H2Bpz2 = di¬hydro¬bis¬(pyrazol-1-yl)borate; 4,4\u27-Br2-bpy = 4,4\u27-dibromo-2,2\u27-bipyridine)—that undergoes abrupt and hysteretic spin-state switching in the bulk-state with T1/2 = 113 K and ΔT1/2 = 13 K at a scan rate of 0.25 K/min. The HS-to-LS switching of the complex is scan-rate-dependent, whereas the LS-to-HS switching is scan-rate-independent. Moreover, a reverse-SCO phenomenon was observed upon heating the sample in the 78 K-105 K temperature range at a scan rate of 3 K/minute. However, the reverse SCO was not observed when the complex was studied at scan rates of 1 and 0.5 K/min. Such observations indicate the presence of a kinetically trapped HS-fraction (frozen-in effect) during the HS-to-LS switching, when the sample was studied at the scan rate of 3 K/min. Crucially, the complex can be sublimed; efforts are on to elucidate the nature of SCO in the thin film state. Overall, a simple and easy to prepare sublimable complex—[Fe(H2Bpz2)24,4’-Br2-bpy]—shows bistable spin-state switching characteristics that can be leveraged to fabricate spin-state switchable thin film architectures

Who Benefits from Repealing Tampon Taxes? Empirical Evidence from New Jersey

Many state and local governments exclude some medical products from the sales tax base, including some that are primarily used by men such as hair growth products. However, tampons and other menstrual hygiene products are subject to sales taxes in most states. A recent social movement advocates for the repeal of these “tampon taxes” and several class action lawsuits have been filed against states citing equal protection violations. In this article, we use the 2005 elimination of menstrual hygiene products from the sales tax base in New Jersey as a natural experiment to study who benefits from the repeal of tampon taxes. We find that the tax break is fully shifted to consumers, but that the tax break is not distributed equally. Low‐income consumers enjoy a benefit from the repeal of the tax by more than the size of the repealed tax. For high‐income consumers, the tax break is shared equally with producers. The results suggest that repealing tampon taxes removes an unequal tax burden and could make menstrual hygiene products more accessible for low‐income consumers

Measuring inotocin receptor gene expression in chronological order in ant queens

In vertebrates and invertebrates, oxytocin/vasopressin-like peptides modulate a variety of behaviors. The recent discovery of the gene and receptor sequences of inotocin, the insect ortholog of oxytocin/vasopressin, opens new opportunities for understanding the role of this peptide family in regulating behaviors in the most populated class of living animals. Ants live in highly organized colonies. Once a year, they produce future queens that soon leave the nest to mate and found new colonies. During the first months of their lives, ant queens display a sequence of behaviors ranging from copulation and social interactions to violent fighting. In order to investigate the potential roles of inotocin in shaping queen behavior, we measured gene expression of the inotocin receptor in the heads of Lasius niger ant queens at different points in time. The highest levels of expression occurred early in queen life when they experience crowded conditions in their mother nests and soon thereafter set out to mate. Inotocin could thus be involved in regulating social and reproductive behaviors as reported in other animals. While oxytocin and vasopressin are also involved in aggression in mammals, we found no direct link between these behaviors and inotocin receptor expression in L. niger. Our study provides a first glimpse into the roles the inotocin receptor might play in regulating important processes in ant physiology and behavior. Further studies are needed to understand the molecular function of this complex signaling system in more detail.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe