Bonding Interactions in Congested Molecules: A Study of the Interatomic Forces and the Molecular Electrostatic Potential

Chemistry and Polymer Scienc

The characterization of and formulation development using a novel tyre devulcanizate

The amount of waste tyres being dumped is fast becoming a problem. These stockpiles take up valuable land and are an environmental and health problem. While incineration is the simplest way to recycle the used tyres it isn’t an efficient way to dispose of tyres. This research looks at developing a method for characterizing the New Reclamation Group (NRG) reclaim with the main focus on Hi-Res™ thermogravimetric analysis. Good quantification was possible using this technique. A trade off was established between resolution, sensitivity and time. While increasing the resolution allowed greater separation to be achieved the time for each experiment increased rapidly. Although kinetic models do exist for quantifying rubber components in vulcanized sample, they were not suitable for this study. When devulcanization causes significant molecular changes, such as with NRG reclaim, the decomposition profiles no longer match those of virgin materials. Formulations developed focused on mixing, rheometry, crosslink density and tensile properties. The NRG reclaim acted as a processing aid which lowered the maximum torque. This provides mixing safety as the temperature is decreased as a result of the lower torque. This effect was not seen with conventional reclaim. Rheometry tests indicated that the addition of the devulcanizates decreased the extent of cure. It was demonstrated that this could be linked to crosslink density. Testing of the 100%, 200%, 300% moduli correlated the crosslink density to the maximum torque. Although the addition of NRG reclaim reduced the tensile strength of the formulation, a link between crosslink density and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) couldn’t be made. The decrease in the UTS and increase in extension at break is possibly caused by an increase in low molecular weight material present in the formulations and decrease in crosslink density. This could possibly increase the mobility of polymer chains which could increases flexibility

Perceptually relevant remapping of human somatotopy in 24 hours

Experience-dependent reorganisation of functional maps in the cerebral cortex is well described in the primary sensory cortices. However, there is relatively little evidence for such cortical reorganisation over the short-term. Using human somatosensory cortex as a model, we investigated the effects of a 24 hr gluing manipulation in which the right index and right middle fingers (digits 2 and 3) were adjoined with surgical glue. Somatotopic representations, assessed with two 7 tesla fMRI protocols, revealed rapid off-target reorganisation in the non-manipulated fingers following gluing, with the representation of the ring finger (digit 4) shifted towards the little finger (digit 5) and away from the middle finger (digit 3). These shifts were also evident in two behavioural tasks conducted in an independent cohort, showing reduced sensitivity for discriminating the temporal order of stimuli to the ring and little fingers, and increased substitution errors across this pair on a speeded reaction time task

Comparative sequence analysis and tissue localization of members of the SLC6 family of transporters in adult Drosophila melanogaster

SUMMARY The SLC6 family comprises proteins that move extracellular neurotransmitters, amino acids and osmolytes across the plasma membrane into the cytosol. In mammals, deletion of SLC6 family members has dramatic physiologic consequences, but in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, little is known about this family of proteins. Therefore, in this study we carried out an initial analysis of 21 known or putative SLC6 family members from the Drosophila genome. Protein sequences from these genes segregated into either well-defined subfamilies, including the novel insect amino acid transporter subfamily, or into a group of weakly related sequences not affiliated with a recognized subfamily. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis and in situ hybridization showed that seven of these genes are expressed in the CNS. In situ hybridization revealed that two previously cloned SLC6 members, the serotonin and dopamine transporters, were localized to presumptive presynaptic neurons that previously immunolabelled for these transmitters. RNA for CG1732 (the putative GABA transporter) and CG15088 (a member of the novel insect amino acid transporter family) was localized in cells likely to be subtypes of glia, while RNA for CG5226, CG10804 (both members of the orphan neurotransmitter transporter subfamily) and CG5549 (a putative glycine transporter) were expressed broadly throughout the cellular cortex of the CNS. Eight of the 21 sequences were localized outside the CNS in the alimentary canal, Malpighian tubules and reproductive organs. Localization for six sequences was not found or not attempted in the adult fly. We used the Drosophila ortholog of the mammalian vesicular monoamine transporter 2, CG33528, to independently identify monoaminergic neurons in the adult fly. RNA for CG33528 was detected in a limited number of cells in the central brain and in a beaded stripe at the base of the photoreceptors in the position of glia, but not in the photoreceptors themselves. The SLC6 localization observations in conjunction with likely substrates based on phylogenetic inferences are a first step in defining the role of Na/Cl-dependent transporters in Drosophila physiology

Development of a Psychologically Enhanced Interactive Online Intervention for Hazardous Drinking

Aims: The content of novel interventions is often not well specified. We provide a detailed account of the rationale for and redevelopment of an Internet resource for hazardous drinkers—Down Your Drink (DYD) (www.downyourdrink.org.uk). Development Work: An iterative process blended literature reviews of Internet interventions for health conditions and brief treatments for alcohol problems, feedback from users of the original site and from users panels, and completion of a series of developmental tasks. Intervention: The detailed structure and content of the new version of the website is presented. This permits an appreciation of the intended interaction between the user and the intervention, and emphasizes both the freedom of choice available to the user to access diverse material for personal benefit and the value of a clear organizational structure. Conclusions: Presentation of detailed information on the theoretical underpinning, content and structure of an intervention makes it easier to interpret the results of any evaluation and is likely to be of use to those developing other online interventions for alcohol or other health behaviours

Morphological and Physiological Characteristics of the Serotonin-Immunoreactive Neuron in the Antennal Lobe of the Male Oriental Tobacco Budworm, Helicoverpa assulta

We have characterized, by intracellular recording and staining combined with immunocytochemistry, a serotonin-immunoreactive neuron in the central olfactory pathway of the male moth Helicoverpa assulta. The neuron joins the unique category of so-called SI antennal-lobe neurons, previously described in several insect species. In similarity with that originally discovered in the sphinx moth Manduca sexta, the neuron identified here has a large soma located posteriorly in the lateral cell cluster of the antennal lobe and an unbranched neurite projecting into the ipsilateral protocerebrum via the inner antennocerebral tract. After bypassing the central body, the axon crosses the midline and extends through the corresponding antennocerebral tract to the contralateral antennal lobe where it innervates the entire assembly of glomeruli including the male-specific macroglomerular complex. The neuron arborizes into several fine branches in bilateral protocerebral regions anterior to the calyces of the mushroom bodies, particularly on the contralateral side. The physiology of the neuron revealed 2 distinctly different spiking amplitudes, 1 small showing a relatively high spontaneous activity and 1 large showing low activity. The small-amplitude spikes displayed increased frequency when pheromones and plant odors were blown over the antenna. The large-amplitude spikes, which had an unusually long duration, showed no observable responses

Does the early bird really get the worm? How chronotype relates to human intelligence

Objectives: Chronotype impacts our state at a given time of day, however, chronotype is also heritable, trait-like, and varies systematically as a function of age and sex. However, only a handful of studies support a relationship between chronotype and trait-like cognitive abilities (i.e., intelligence), and the evidence is sparse and inconsistent between studies. Typically, studies have: (1) focused on limited subjective measures of chronotype, (2) focused on young adults only, and (3) have not considered sex differences. Here, using a combination of cognitive aptitude and ability testing, subjective chronotype, and objective actigraphy, we aimed to explore the relationship between trait-like cognitive abilities and chronotype. Design: Participants (N = 61; 44 females; age = 35.30 ± 18.04 years) completed the Horne-Ostberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) to determine subjective chronotype and wore an activity monitor for 10 days to objectively assess bedtime, rise-time, total sleep time, inter-daily stability, intra-daily variability, and relative amplitude. Cognitive ability (e.g., Verbal, Reasoning and Short-Term Memory) testing took place at the completion of the study. Results: Higher MEQ scores (i.e., more morning) were associated with higher inter-daily stability scores. Superior verbal abilities were associated with later bedtimes, younger age, but paradoxically, higher (i.e., more morning) MEQ scores. Superior STM abilities were associated with younger age only. The relationships between chronotype and trait-like cognitive abilities were similar for both men and women and did not differ between younger and older adults. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that chronotype, measured by the MEQ, is highly related to inter-daily stability (i.e., the strength of circadian synchronization). Furthermore, although evening types have superior verbal abilities overall, higher (i.e., more morning) MEQ scores were related to superior verbal abilities after controlling for “evening type” behaviours