Differential Expression Analysis Identifies Candidate Synaptogenic Molecules for Wiring Direction-Selective Circuits in the Retina.

An organizational feature of neural circuits is the specificity of synaptic connections. A striking example is the direction-selective (DS) circuit of the retina. There are multiple subtypes of DS retinal ganglion cells (DSGCs) that prefer motion along one of four preferred directions.

Analysis of structural rearrangements of poly(lactic acid) in the presence of water.

The effects of hydration on two types of structural rearrangements, physical aging and crystallization, of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) have been characterized. Although the water absorbed is extremely small, on the order of 0.5% by weight, we found a significant increase in both the magnitude and kinetics of enthalpic relaxation near the glass transition temperature (Tg).

The role of surface charge of nucleation agents on the crystallization behavior of poly(vinylidene fluoride).

The effect of the surface charge of nucleation agents on the crystallization behavior of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) has been investigated. Ion-dipole interaction between the positive surface of nucleation agents and the partially negative CF(2) dipoles of PVDF is established as a main factor for further lowering the free energy barrier for nucleation, and thus increasing significantly the crystallization kinetics. This is in contrast to the behavior observed for nucleation agents possessing either negative surface or neutral charges.

Analysis of rapid chain dynamics in isochronal dielectric measurements of polymers.

Fast dynamics within the microwave frequency range (approximately gigahertz) in polymer systems as a function of temperature (in the range from 20 to 190 degrees C) were studied using high frequency dielectric spectroscopy. The frequency of radiation was varied from 0.5 to 18 GHz.

Versatile multilayer thin film preparation using hydrophobic interactions, crystallization, and chemical modification of poly(vinyl alcohol).

Multilayer thin film coatings were prepared on silicon substrates. Poly(vinyl alcohol) was adsorbed from aqueous solution to propyldimethylsilyl-modified silicon wafers. This thin semicrystalline coating was chemically modified using acid chlorides to form thicker, hydrophobic coatings.

Influence of copolymer configuration on the phase behavior of ternary blends.

The influence of copolymer configuration on the phase behavior of various ternary polymer blends containing a crystallizable polyester, a noncrystallizable polyether, and an acrylic random copolymer of different chain configuration was investigated. In these ternary blends, the acrylic random copolymer is typically added to control rheological properties at elevated temperatures. In fact, the acrylic random copolymers composed of various compositions of MMA and nBMA were found to have different miscibility with polyester as well as polyether, leading to substantially different phase behavior of ternary blends.

Vibrational spectrum, ab initio calculations, conformational equilibria and torsional modes of 1,3-dichloropropane.

Ab initio calculations are reported for three of four possible conformers of 1,3-dichloropropane. The fourth conformer, with Cs symmetry, has a predicted enthalpy difference of more than 1500 cm(-1) from the most stable conformer from each calculation regardless of the basis set used, so there is little chance of observing it. Thus, there is no evidence in the infrared or Raman spectrum of the presence of a fourth conformer.

Binding efficiency and transport properties of molecularly imprinted polymer thin films.

A model system for the characterization of molecular recognition events in molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) is presented. The use of a biologically inspired, three-point hydrogen-bonding motif and a thin film polymeric matrix allows for pre- and post-polymerization binding properties to be characterized by infrared spectroscopy. A method to determine binding constants was developed and utilized before and after cross-linking.