Het(aryl)isatin to het(aryl)aminoindoline scaffold hopping: A route to selective inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a large family of zinc-dependent endoproteases known to exert multiple regulatory roles in tumor progression. A variety of chemical classes have been explored for targeting individual MMP isoforms. In the present study, we further developed our isatin based scaffold BB0223107 capable of binding to and inactivating MMP-2 in a zinc-independent manner (Agamennone et al., 2016). Forty four new compounds were synthesized based on the modified BB0223107. All compounds were tested in enzyme inhibition assays against MMP-2, ?8 and ?13. SAR studies demonstrated that 5-het(aryl)-3-aminoindolin-2-ones (37–39) were active toward MMP-2 and MMP-13. The most potent compounds 33 and 37 displayed an IC₅₀ of 3 µM against MMP-13 and showed a negligible activity toward MMP-8; almost all new compounds were inactive toward MMP-8. Replacement of the isatin ring with a biaryl system (compound 33) did not decrease the potency against MMP-13 but reduced the selectivity. Structure-based computational studies were carried out to rationalize the inhibitory activity data. The analysis of binding geometries confirmed that all fragments occupied the S1′ site in the three enzymes while no ligand was able to bind the catalytic zinc ion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of 3-aminoindolin-2-one-based MMP inhibitors that, based on the computer modeling study, do not coordinate the zinc ion. Thus, the het(aryl)-3-aminoindolin-2-one derivatives emerge as a drug-like and promising chemotype that, along with the hetaryl variations, represents an alternative and thrifty tool for chemical space exploration aimed at MMP inhibitor design.     

考虑货架存放期的经济批量排产问题的求解

在化工、造纸、制药、钢铁等工业生产中，一台设备或一条生产线可以生产多种产品的情况很常见。在生产中，如何安排各类产品的生产顺序以及生产数量显得十分重要。这类问题通常称作经济批量排产问题，这类问题是生产库存中的经典问题。本文研究的经济批量排产问题考虑了产品货架存放期因素，针对以往研究的不足，本文提出用批量变动方法求解该类问题，由计算结果显示，按照这种排产方法花费的成本要低于其他两种经济批量排产问题常用的方法。     

TOF-SIMS imaging of chlorhexidine-digluconate transport in frozen hydrated biofilms of the fungus Candida albicans

The diffusion of the anti-microbial chlorhexidine digluconate (CHG) has been studied in C. albicans biofilms by time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). C. albicans has been shown to become resistant to common anti-microbial agents, including CHG, when growing as a biofilm. Mass transport resistance within biofilms has commonly been suggested as a resistance mechanism, but measurement of transport for most anti-microbial agents in biofilms has proven extremely difficult because of the heterogeneity of the biofilms and the difficulty in detecting these agents within an intact biofilm. In this study, TOF-SIMS has been used to study the transport of CHG and glucose in a frozen hydrated biofilm. The TOF-SIMS images reveal a progression of CHG from the top of the biofilm to its base with time. Images suggest that there are channels within the biofilm and show preferential binding of CHG to cellular components of the biofilm. Additionally, both living and dead cells can be identified in the TOF-SIMS images by the sequestration of K⁺ and the presence of cell markers. This study demonstrates that TOF-SIMS has the unique potential to simultaneously observe the presence of an antimicrobial agent, concentration of nutrients, and the viability of the cell population.     

平行机半在线排序问题研究(Ⅰ)

对半在线平行机排序问题的研究进展作了详细综述和进一步探讨。文章给出半在线排序问题的背景、定义、分类和求解。介绍它们定义和在不同机器环境和目标函数下半在线排序问题分类，以及第一类半在线模型的近似算法的设计及其竞争比分析。     

资源有限的加权总完工时间单机排序问题

本讨论资源有限的加权总工时间单机排序问题，对现在仍为OPEN问题1｜pj=bj-ajuj，∑uj≤U｜∑wjCj给出了一个有关最优解中最优资源分配的重要性质，并利用该性质分别给出了三种情况bj=b,wj=w,aj=a；bj=b,wj=w,uj=u；aj=a,wj=w,uj=u的最优算法。     

免疫算法在车辆调度问题中的应用

免疫算法是模仿生物体高度进化、复杂的免疫系统仿生的一种智能化启发式算法。本文根据车辆调度问题的具体情况，应用免疫算法解决车辆调度中路线安排问题，并提出了一种基于分组匹配的亲和力的计算方法。实验结果表明，免疫算法能有效地应用于车辆调度中路线安排问题。     

EXAFS study of liposome-encapsulated cisplatin

The anticancer agent cisplatin encapsulated in sterically stabilized liposomes is studied with extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) method. Analysis of local atomic structure around Pt atoms clearly indicates that the liposome-encapsulated drug is chemically stable and does not hydrolyze. Cisplatin forms a supersaturated solution in the liposome interior at a concentration about eight-fold above its aqueous solubility.     

Recovering Beam Search: Enhancing the Beam Search Approach for Combinatorial Optimization Problems

A hybrid heuristic method for combinatorial optimization problems is proposed that combines different classical techniques such as tree search procedures, bounding schemes and local search. The proposed method enhances the classic beam search approach by applying to each partial solution corresponding to a node selected by the beam, a further test that checks whether the current partial solution is dominated by another partial solution at the same level of the search tree. If this is the case, the latter solution becomes the new current partial solution. This step allows to partially recover from previous wrong decisions of the beam search procedure and can be seen as a local search step on the partial solution. We present here the application to two well known combinatorial optimization problems: the two-machine total completion time flow shop scheduling problem and the uncapacitated p-median location problem. In both cases the method strongly improves the performances with respect to the basic beam search approach and is competitive with the state of the art heuristics.     

Minimizing makespan on a single machine subject to random breakdowns

We investigate optimal sequencing policies for the expected makespan problem with an unreliable machine, where jobs have to be reprocessed in their entirety if preemptions occur because of breakdowns. We identify a class of uptime distributions under which LPT minimizes expected makespan.