No abstract

Activity-induced changes in adhesion molecules may coordinate presynaptic and postsynaptic plasticity. Here, we demonstrate that beta-catenin, which mediates interactions between cadherins and the actin cytoskeleton, moves from dendritic shafts into spines upon depolarization, increasing its association with cadherins. beta-catenin's redistribution was mimicked or prevented by a tyrosine kinase or phosphatase inhibitor, respectively. Point mutations of beta-catenin's tyrosine 654 altered the shaft/spine distribution: Y654F-beta-catenin-GFP (phosphorylation-prevented) was concentrated in spines, whereas Y654E-beta-catenin-GFP (phosphorylation-mimic) accumulated in dendritic shafts. In Y654F-expressing neurons, the PSD-95 or associated synapsin-I clusters were larger than those observed in either wild-type-beta-catenin or also Y654E-expressing neurons. Y654F-expressing neurons exhibited a higher minifrequency. Thus, neural activity induces beta-catenin's redistribution into spines, where it interacts with cadherin to influence synaptic size and strength.

High‐performance inverted solar cells using various low‐bandgap polymers are achieved by using excellent metal oxide nanoparticles including ZnO and TiO2:Cs nanoparticles as an electron‐transport layer (ETL). Power conversion efficiencies (PCE) as high as 7.3% are achieved with inverted single cells based on PTB7:PC71BM. The results give a guideline for high‐efficiency and stable inverted single‐junction and tandem polymer solar cells.

An MoO(3) film spin-coated from a solution prepared by an extremely facile and cost-effective synthetic method is introduced as an anode buffer layer of bulk-heterojunction polymer photovoltaic devices. The device efficiency using the MoO(3) anode buffer layer is comparable to that using a conventional PEDOT:PSS layer without annealing at an elevated temperature.