Effects of Hydrostatic Pressure and Uniaxial Strain on Spin-Peierls Transition in an Organic Radical Magnet, BBDTA·InCl4

We investigated the effects of hydrostatic pressure and uniaxial strain on the spin-Peierls (SP) transition of an organic radical magnet, benzo[1,2-d:4,5-d\u27]bis[1,3,2]dithiazole(BBDTA)·InCl 4 . It has a one-dimensional coordination polymer structure along its c -axis and its SP transition occurs at 108 K. The SP transition temperature T SP decreased to 99 K at a hydrostatic pressure of 10 kbar, while it increased to 132 K at a uniaxial strain along the c -axis of 8 kbar. The pressure dependences of T SP under these two conditions were discussed by evaluating two parameters, namely, the intrachain interaction 2 J / k B and the effective spin–lattice coupling parameter η, that are related to T SP by the equation T SP =1.6η J / k B . Under ambient pressure, the a - and c -axes of this material shortened monotonically with decreasing temperature, while the b -axis elongated below T SP . In this study, we found the correlation between η and the change in the lattice constant b . 2 J / k B increased with increasing hydrostatic pressure and uniaxial strain, suggesting that the contraction along the c -axis does not depend on the manner of pressurization. From the evaluation of η, the observed variation in T SP is explained by the difference between the changes in b under the two pressurization conditions

Biodegradability of Plastics

Plastic is a broad name given to different polymers with high molecular weight, which can be degraded by various processes. However, considering their abundance in the environment and their specificity in attacking plastics, biodegradation of plastics by microorganisms and enzymes seems to be the most effective process. When plastics are used as substrates for microorganisms, evaluation of their biodegradability should not only be based on their chemical structure, but also on their physical properties (melting point, glass transition temperature, crystallinity, storage modulus etc.). In this review, microbial and enzymatic biodegradation of plastics and some factors that affect their biodegradability are discussed

Vascular RAGE transports oxytocin into the brain to elicit its maternal bonding behaviour in mice

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Oxytocin sets the stage for childbirth by initiating uterine contractions, lactation and maternal bonding behaviours. Mice lacking secreted oxcytocin (Oxt -/-, Cd38 -/-) or its receptor (Oxtr -/-) fail to nurture. Normal maternal behaviour is restored by peripheral oxcytocin replacement in Oxt -/- and Cd38 -/-, but not Oxtr -/- mice, implying that circulating oxcytocin crosses the blood-brain barrier. Exogenous oxcytocin also has behavioural effects in humans. However, circulating polypeptides are typically excluded from the brain. We show that oxcytocin is transported into the brain by receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) on brain capillary endothelial cells. The increases in oxcytocin in the brain which follow exogenous administration are lost in Ager -/- male mice lacking RAGE, and behaviours characteristic to abnormalities in oxcytocin signalling are recapitulated in Ager -/- mice, including deficits in maternal bonding and hyperactivity. Our findings show that RAGE-mediated transport is critical to the behavioural actions of oxcytocin associated with parenting and social bonding.3082047