An analytical representation of the ground potential energy surface (2A') of the H + Cl2 → HCl + Cl and Cl + HCl → HCl + Cl reactions, based on ab initio calculations

In this work we have studied at an ab initio level the lowest 2A′ potential energy surface (PES) of the HCl2 system. This PES is involved in the H(2S)+Cl2(X 1Σ+g)→HCl(X 1Σ+)+Cl(2P) and Cl(2P)+HCl(X 1Σ+)→HCl(X 1Σ+)+Cl(2P) gas phase elementary chemical reactions. The former reaction is an important chemical laser while the second one is the most frequently used prototype of heavy-light-heavy reaction. A large number of points on the 2A′ PES have been calculated at the PUMP2/6-311G(3d2 f,3p2d) ab initio level. The ab initio calculations show the existence of two angular transition states with negligible or very small barriers to collinearity. This and other properties of the PES are in agreement with previous studies. An analytical expression based on a many-body expansion has been used to obtain a satisfactory fit of the 740 ab initio points calculated, with a root-mean-square deviation within the range of the estimated ab initio method error margin. This analytical representation of the 2A′ PES has been used to evaluate the variational transition state theory thermal rate constants of the above-mentioned reactions, including also the Cl+DCl reaction, and quite good agreement has been obtained when comparing with experimental results. The analytical PES obtained in this work is suitable for use in studies on the kinetics and dynamics of the HCl2 system

An ab initio analytical potential energy surface for the O(3P) + CS(X1Σ+) → CO(X1Σ+) + S(3P) reaction useful for kinetic and dynamical studies

The N(4Su) + NO(X 2Π) → N 2(X 1Σg+) + O( 3Pg) reaction plays an important role in the upper atmosphere chemistry and as a calibration system for discharge flow systems. Surprisingly, very little theoretical and experimental work has been devoted to the characterization of the dynamical features of this system. In this work a Sorbie-Murrell expression for the lowest 3A″ potential energy surface (PES) connecting reactants in their ground electronic states based upon the fitting of an accurate ab initio CI grid of points has been derived. The PES fitted shows no barrier to reaction with respect to the reactants asymptote in accordance with experimental findings and becomes highly repulsive as the NNO angle is varied away from the saddle point geometry. The results of preliminary quasiclassical trajectory calculations on this surface reproduce very well the experimental energy disposal in products, even though the vibrational distribution derived from trajectories seems to be a bit cooler than the experimental data. Moreover, thermal rate constants derived from trajectories are in excellent accordance with experimental value

Assessing the usefulness of transition metal carbides for hydrogenation reactions

Transition Metal Carbides (TMCs) are proposed to replace scarce and expensive late Transition Metals (TMs) as heterogeneous catalysts, often implying hydrogenation reactions or steps. Present density functional theory based calculations support using group IV TMCs and -MoC as viable alternative catalysts to TMs for so, given the moderate exoergicity and affordable reaction step energy barriers

CD300f immunoreceptor contributes to peripheral nerve regeneration by the modulation of macrophage inflammatory phenotype

Background: It has recently become evident that activating/inhibitory cell surface immune receptors play a critical role in regulating immune and inflammatory processes in the central nervous system (CNS). The immunoreceptor CD300f expressed on monocytes, neutrophils, and mast cells modulates inflammation, phagocytosis, and outcome in models of autoimmune demyelination, allergy, and systemic lupus erythematosus. On the other hand, a finely regulated inflammatory response is essential to induce regeneration after injury to peripheral nerves since hematogenous macrophages, together with resident macrophages and de-differentiated Schwann cells, phagocyte distal axonal and myelin debris in a well-orchestrated inflammatory response. The possible roles and expression of CD300f and its ligands have not been reported under these conditions. Methods: By using quantitative PCR (QPCR) and CD300f-IgG2a fusion protein, we show the expression of CD300f and its ligands in the normal and crush injured sciatic nerve. The putative role of CD300f in peripheral nerve regeneration was analyzed by blocking receptor-ligand interaction with the same CD300f-IgG2a soluble receptor fusion protein in sciatic nerves of Thy1-YFP-H mice injected at the time of injury. Macrophage M1/M2 polarization phenotype was also analyzed by CD206 and iNOS expression. Results: We found an upregulation of CD300f mRNA and protein expression after injury. Moreover, the ligands are present in restricted membrane patches of Schwann cells, which remain stable after the lesion. The lesioned sciatic nerves of Thy1-YFP-H mice injected with a single dose of CD300f-IgG2a show long lasting effects on nerve regeneration characterized by a lower number of YFP-positive fibres growing into the tibial nerve after 10 days post lesion (dpl) and a delayed functional recovery when compared to PBS- or IgG2a-administered control groups. Animals treated with CD300f-IgG2a show at 10 dpl higher numbers of macrophages and CD206-positive cells and lower levels of iNOS expression than both control groups. At later time points (28 dpl), increased numbers of macrophages and iNOS expression occur. Conclusions: Taken together, these results show that the pair CD300f ligand is implicated in Wallerian degeneration and nerve regeneration by modulating both the influx and phenotype of macrophages

Transport de nucleòsids

La presència de transportadors específics per a nucleòsids ha estat descrita en nombrosos tipus cel·lulars. Els factors que justifiquen l'existencia d'aquests transportadors son diversos.