Neuropsychopharmacology of Emerging Drugs of Abuse: meta- and para-Halogen-Ring-Substituted α-PVP (“flakka”) Derivatives

Changes in the molecular structure of synthetic cathinones has led to an increase in the number of novel emerging drugs in the illicit drug market at an unprecedented rate. Unfortunately, little is known about the neuropsychopharmacology of recently emerged halogen-substituted α-PVP derivatives. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of para- and meta-halogen (F-, Cl-, and Br-) substitutions on the in vitro, in silico, and in vivo effects of α-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (α-PVP) derivatives. HEK293 cells expressing the human dopamine or serotonin transporter (hDAT and hSERT) were used for the uptake inhibition and transporter affinity assays. Molecular docking was used to model the interaction mechanism against DAT. Swiss CD-1 mice were used for the horizontal locomotor activity, open field test, and conditioned place preference paradigm. All compounds demonstrated potent DA uptake inhibition and higher DAT selectivity than cocaine. Meta-substituted cathinones showed higher DAT/SERT ratios than their para- analogs, which correlates with an increased psychostimulant effect in vivo and with different meta- and para-in silico interactions at DAT. Moreover, all compounds induced rewarding and acute anxiogenic effects in mice. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates the role of meta- and para-halogen substitutions in the mechanism of action and provides the first evidence of the rewarding and anxiety-like properties of halogenated α-PVP derivatives.     

Gas diffusion layer for proton exchange membrane fuel cells—A review

Gas diffusion layer (GDL) is one of the critical components acting both as the functional as well as the support structure for membrane-electrode assembly in the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The role of the GDL is very significant in the H₂/air PEM fuel cell to make it commercially viable. A bibliometric analysis of the publications on the GDLs since 1992 shows a total of 400+ publications (>140 papers in the Journal of Power Sources alone) and reveals an exponential growth due to reasons that PEMFC promises a lot of potential as the future energy source for varied applications and hence its vital component GDL requires due innovative analysis and research. This paper is an attempt to pool together the published work on the GDLs and also to review the essential properties of the GDLs, the method of achieving each one of them, their characterization and the current status and future directions. The optimization of the functional properties of the GDLs is possible only by understanding the role of its key parameters such as structure, porosity, hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, gas permeability, transport properties, water management and the surface morphology. This paper discusses them in detail to provide an insight into the structural parts that make the GDLs and also the processes that occur in the GDLs under service conditions and the characteristic properties. The required balance in the properties of the GDLs to facilitate the counter current flow of the gas and water is highlighted through its characteristics.     

台湾的“化妆间”与“垃圾不落地”

正趁着春节假期,我到台北和高雄看望久别的姐妹们。虽是第一次来到宝岛,不过吃住都是在姐妹家中,这趟旅行倒像是回家一样,没什么违和感与陌生感,然而小新鲜却总是不断。刚下飞机时,看到几乎人人戴口罩,这吓了我一跳,其实那里空气真不错,没遇到过雾霾天。这是怎么回事呢?     

世界杯里的“中国制造”

正尽管中国足球无缘本届俄罗斯世界杯,但中国制造和中国品牌已令人侧目、笑傲全球。中国企业为本届世界杯的赛事经济贡献巨大,这对谋求重塑声誉的国际足联(FIFA)来说,无异于雪中送炭;对中国企业而言,期望通过世界杯的聚集效应放大自身的品牌价值,借势在商业征途上纵横四海,并将足球梦复兴梦与中国梦实业梦的雄心壮志结合得更为实际。2010年,瓦瓦祖拉的塑料喇叭响彻南非,普天同庆的官方用球和国旗、假发、墨镜、望远