The dorsal raphe (DR) constitutes a major serotonergic input to the forebrain and modulates diverse functions and brain states, including mood, anxiety, and sensory and motor functions. Most functional studies to date have treated DR serotonin neurons as a single population. Using viral-genetic methods, we found that subcortical- and cortical-projecting serotonin neurons have distinct cell-body distributions within the DR and differentially co-express a vesicular glutamate transporter. Further, amygdala- and frontal-cortex-projecting DR serotonin neurons have largely complementary whole-brain collateralization patterns, receive biased inputs from presynaptic partners, and exhibit opposite responses to aversive stimuli. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments suggest that amygdala-projecting DR serotonin neurons promote anxiety-like behavior, whereas frontal-cortex-projecting neurons promote active coping in the face of challenge. These results provide compelling evidence that the DR serotonin system contains parallel sub-systems that differ in input and output connectivity, physiological response properties, and behavioral functions.

Mercaptoacetic acid-modified CdS nanoparticles disperse selectively in the poly(4-vinylpyridine) domains of poly(styrene-b-4-vinylpyridine) (S4VP) block copolymer as a result of the formation of hydrogen bonds. This process in turn induces the morphological transformation of S4VP from a hexagonally packed cylinder structure into a lamellar structure, as evidenced from transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering studies. This transformation is consistent with that suggested by a theoretical prediction of the phase diagram of the mixed diblock copolymer/nanoparticle system.

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CdS nanoparticles with surfaces modified by mercaptoethanol have been synthesized for greater solubility in dimethylformamide (DMF) and the ability to preferentially bind to the poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blocks of polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) copolymer. The size of the surface-modified CdS nanoparticles (M-CdS) in DMF can be characterized by the Schultz distribution of a mean radius of 18.4 Å and a polydispersity of 0.5, using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). These M-CdS nanoparticles can further disperse in the PS-b-PEO, with a slightly larger mean radius than that observed in DMF. The uptake of M-CdS nanoparticles for the PEO blocks of the PS-b-PEO saturates around 7% in volume fraction. The binding of the nanoparticles promotes a segregation of the PEO/ nanoparticles and leads to spherical PEO/M-CdS microdomains in the composite film with a greatly enhanced thermal stability. The structural information obtained from X-ray scattering agrees well with the transmission electron microscopy images and differential scanning calorimetry results.

A series of gold precursor solutions are prepared by dissolving HAuCl4 and its mixtures with K2CO3 of different contents in deionized (DI) water. Neat HAuCl4 predominately forms AuCl4 – ions in an aqueous solution. In the presence of K2CO3, AuCl4 – ions hydrolyze to form [AuCl4–x (OH) x ]− complex ions. Increasing the content of K2CO3 in a gold precursor solution increases the content of [AuCl4–x (OH) x ]− complex ions and decreases the content of AuCl4 – ions. Poly­(4-vinyl pyridine) (P4VP) films of two different molecular weights are deposited on SiO x /Si by spin coating, by which the thicknesses are controlled by polymer weight fractions in butanol. Those P4VP films form periodic wrinkles when immersed in aqueous solutions, followed by drying. The surface wrinkling is induced by swelling pressure that overwhelms the mechanical property of the P4VP film. The periodicity and amplitude of wrinkles grown on the P4VP films strongly correlate with initial thickness, AuCl4 – ion content, and residual stress.