Noninvasive theta-burst stimulation of the human striatum enhances striatal activity and motor skill learning.

The stimulation of deep brain structures has thus far only been possible with invasive methods. Transcranial electrical temporal interference stimulation (tTIS) is a novel, noninvasive technology that might overcome this limitation. The initial proof-of-concept was obtained through modeling, physics experiments and rodent models. Here we show successful noninvasive neuromodulation of the striatum via tTIS in humans using computational modeling, functional magnetic resonance imaging studies and behavioral evaluations. Theta-burst patterned striatal tTIS increased activity in the striatum and associated motor network. Furthermore, striatal tTIS enhanced motor performance, especially in healthy older participants as they have lower natural learning skills than younger subjects. These findings place tTIS as an exciting new method to target deep brain structures in humans noninvasively, thus enhancing our understanding of their functional role. Moreover, our results lay the groundwork for innovative, noninvasive treatment strategies for brain disorders in which deep striatal structures play key pathophysiological roles.

iSens: A Fiber-Based, Highly Permeable and Imperceptible Sensor Design.

Embedded sensors are key to optimizing processes and products; they collect data that allow time, energy, and materials to be saved, thereby reducing costs. After production, they remain in place and are used to monitor the long-term structural health of buildings or aircraft. Fueled by climate change, sustainable construction materials such as wood and fiber composites are gaining importance. Current sensors are not optimized for use with these materials and often act as defects that cause catastrophic failures. Here, flexible, highly permeable, and imperceptible sensors (iSens) are introduced that integrate seamlessly into a component. Their porous substrates are readily infused with adhesives and withstand harsh conditions. In situ resistive temperature measurements and capacitive sensing allows monitoring of adhesives curing as used in wooden structures and fiber composites. The devices also act as heating elements to reduce the hardening time of the glue. Results are analyzed using numerical simulations and theoretical analysis. The suggested iSens technology is widely applicable and represents a step towards realizing the Internet of Things for construction materials.

Chiral 2-endo-substituted 9-oxabispidines: novel ligands for enantioselective copper(II)-catalyzed Henry reactions.

A flexible approach, applicable on a gram scale, to chiral 2-endo-substituted 9-oxabispidines was developed. The key intermediate, a cis-configured 6-aminomethylmorpholine-2-carbonitrile, was prepared from (R)-3-aminopropane-1,2-diol and 2-chloroacrylonitrile. The 2-endo substituent was introduced by Grignard addition, cyclization, and exo-selective reduction, thus furnishing the enantiomerically pure bi- and tricyclic 9-oxabispidines in 19-59 % yield. The CuCl(2) complex of the tricyclic 9-oxabispidine, which carries an 2-endo,N-anellated piperidine ring, is an excellent catalyst for enantioselective Henry reactions giving the S-configured beta-nitro alcohols in 91-98 % ee (13 examples). Surprisingly, the analogous copper complexes of the bicyclic 9-oxabispidines delivered the enantiocomplementary R-configured products in 33-57 % ee. The respective transition states were discussed.

A flexible route to chiral 2-endo-substituted 9-oxabispidines and their application in the enantioselective oxidation of secondary alcohols.

A new and flexible route to enantiomerically pure bi- and tricyclic 9-oxabispidines has been developed with use of (1R,5S)-7-methyl-2-oxo-9-oxa-3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-3-carboxylic acid tert-butyl ester as the common late-stage intermediate. The 9-oxabispidines synthesized were evaluated as the chiral ligands in the Pd(II)-catalyzed oxidative kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols giving good to excellent selectivity factors of up to 19.

Yellowing and IR-changes of spruce wood as result of UV-irradiation.

The yellowing and IR-changes of spruce wood as a result of UV-irradiation were studied using two different types of xenon lamps (lambda>300 nm; I(o)=50 mW cm(-2) and lambda>280 nm; I(o)=17.5 mW cm(-2)). Changes in the IR spectra as well as the yellowing of the irradiated wood surfaces show the influence of UV light on the wood modules. The UV-irradiation (72 h; lambda>300 nm; I(o)=50 mW cm(-2)) decreased the lignin content on the surface by up to 20% of the original values. The colour difference of yellowing (deltaE) exhibited a systematic trend to higher values with increasing irradiation time. Our results show that the photoyellowing (UV-Vis detection) correlates very well with lignin degradation (IR detection). This result is in agreement with the quinone formation as the chromophoric reaction product of lignin decay. The degradation, yellowing, and oxidation kinetics differed only little using different light sources. The absorbed light intensity, which depends on wavelength, the intensity distribution of the light source and the absorption spectrum of lignin, influenced the degradation rate. Under the current experimental conditions, the absorption spectrum of lignin was the most important factor. Therefore, irradiation with lambda>280 nm is useful for rapidly monitoring the UV-degradation of wood