Computational Analysis Reveals a Critical Point Mutation in the N-Terminal Region of the Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Responsible for the Cross-Species Infection with Canine Distemper Virus

Infection of hosts by morbilliviruses is facilitated by the interaction between viral hemagglutinin (H-protein) and the signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM). Recently, the functional importance of the n-terminal region of human SLAM as a measles virus receptor was demonstrated. However, the functional roles of this region in the infection process by other morbilliviruses and host range determination remain unknown, partly because this region is highly flexible, which has hampered accurate structure determination of this region by X-ray crystallography. In this study, we analyzed the interaction between the H-protein from canine distemper virus (CDV-H) and SLAMs by a computational chemistry approach. Molecular dynamics simulations and fragment molecular orbital analysis demonstrated that the unique His28 in the N-terminal region of SLAM from Macaca is a key determinant that enables the formation of a stable interaction with CDV-H, providing a basis for CDV infection in Macaca. The computational chemistry approach presented should enable the determination of molecular interactions involving regions of proteins that are difficult to predict from crystal structures because of their high flexibility.     

Dinuclear gold (I)-di-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes: syntheses,structure, density functional theory calculation and photoluminescence study

The synthesis and characterizations for a series of dinuclear gold (I)-di-NHC complexes, 1–8 through the trans-metalation method of their respective silver (I)-di-NHC complexes, i–viii are reported (where NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene). The successful complexation of a series of unusual non-symmetrical and symmetrical di-NHC ligands, 3,3'-(ethane-1,2-diyl)-1-alkylbenzimidazolium-1'-butylbenzimidazolium (with alkyl = methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, benzyl) with the gold (I) ions are suggested by elemental analysis, Fourier transform-infrared, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR data. The ¹³C-NMR spectra of 1–8 show a singlet sharp peak in the range of 190.00–192.00 ppm, indicating the presence of a carbene carbon that bonded to the gold (I) ion. From single crystal X-ray diffraction data, the structure of complex 6 with the formula of [di-NHC-Au (I)]₂·2PF₆ is obtained [where NHC = 3,3'-(ethane-1,2-diyl)-1-hexylbenzimidazolium-1'-butylbenzimidazolium]. The photophysical study in solid state of 6 displays an intense photoluminescence with a strong emission maxima, λ_em = 480 nm, upon excitation at 340 nm at room temperature. Interestingly, the emission maximum at 77 K shows a structural character with a strong peak at 410 nm, a medium at 433 nm and a weak at 387 nm, accompanied by a tail band to about 500 nm.     

Nd0.5Ca0.5Mn1-xAlxO3 (x=0,0.03)体系中电荷有序态的超声研究

系统研究了Nd0．5Ca0．5Mn1-xAlxO3(x=0,0．03)单相多晶样品在低温下的电磁性质和超声特性．电阻和磁化率测量表明,Nd0．5Ca0.5O3体系在TCO-257 K处发生了电荷有序相变．超声声速从室温开始随着温度的降低逐渐减小,并在TCO附近达到最小,之后,随着温度的进一步降低,声速急刷增加,同时伴随着一个尖锐的超声衰减峰出现.TCO附近的超声异常表明体系中存在着强烈的电-声子相互作用,该电-声子耦合来源于Mn3 的Jahn-Teller效应．在低温下,出现了另一个超声衰减峰,它的出现归结为反铁磁相与顺磁相之间的相分离现象.随着Al在Mn位的掺入,超声声速的最低点和衰减峰向低温移动,表明体系中的电荷有序态和反铁磁相均被部分抑制,     

Sparse graph certificates for mixed connectivity

We give a short proof for the Mixed Connectivity Certificate Theorem of Even, Itkis and Rajsbaum and provide an upper bound on the edge number of a certificate of local T-mixed connectivity up to k.     

Cyclic permutations and evolutionary trees

Given a tree with leaf set X, there are certain ways of arranging the elements of X in a circular order so that can be embedded in the plane and ‘preserve’ this ordering. We investigate some new combinatorial properties of these ‘circular orderings.’ We then use these properties to establish two results concerning dissimilarity maps on X that are induced by edge-weighted trees with leaf set X.     

Demand variability and incentives in inventory-based contracts

We present some results on the impact of demand variability on stocking policies and incentives to forecast, in the context of single period inventory-based contracts in a manufacturer-retailer channel.     

Influence of radiation on thin ZnS-Tb films

Changes in thin zinc-sulfide films under the action of the γ-radiation of Co⁶⁰ are studied by investigating electroluminescence spectra of terbium embedded in these films as a luminescent probe. It is shown that changes in the relation of the intensities of bands, a decrease in their halfwidth and the background component, and simplification of the spectrum are observed in a short-wave region of the Tb radiation spectrum that corresponds to⁵D₃→⁷F_j transitions. The same modification of the radiation spectrum is characteristic of ZnS films whose crystalline structure is ordered in the course of thermal annealing at a temperature of 350°C. Based on the analysis of the data obtained it is inferred that irradiating the ZnS films with small radiation doses of 10⁴–10⁵ rad leads to the ordering of their crystalline structure due to the elimination of one of the types of structural defects. Institute of Physics of Semiconductors, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 45, Nauka Ave., Kiev-28, 252650. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 338–341, May–June, 1997.     

The epitaxial growth of gaas using alkylarsine: Part 2. molecular orbital calculation

Semi-empirical molecular orbital calculations were carried out for the compounds (C₂H₅)₃As, (C₂H₅)₃Ga and RAsH₂ (R = C₂H₅, i-C₃H₇, i-C₄H₉, and t-C₄H₉) by using the CNDO/2-U program, and their capability of β-elimination reaction is compared on the basis of the torsion energy to the transition state, electrostatic interactions and orbital overlapping between the central atom and the β-hydrogen, and bond order of the metal-carbon, and carbon-hydrogen bond. In the comparison of (C₂H₅)₃As with (C₂H₅)₃Ga, we found that the β-elimination of (C₂H₅)₃As could hardly be expected to take place in the thermal decomposition. The capability of β-elimination would be smaller in C₂H₅AsH₂ than that in (C₂H₅)₃As. Moreover when the ethyl group is replaced by a t-butyl group in RAsH₂, the β-elimination reaction appears to become more difficult and a large possibility for a radical process is suggested.     

Magnetic and electrical transport properties of delta-doped amorphous Ge:Mn magnetic semiconductors

We report on the growth and characterization of delta-doped amorphous Ge:Mn diluted magnetic semiconductor thin films on GaAs (0 0 1) substrates. The fabricated samples exhibit different magnetic behaviors, depending on the Mn doping concentration. The Curie temperature was found to be dependent on both the Mn doping concentration and spacing between the doping layers. A sharp drop in magnetization and rise in resistivity are observed at low temperature in samples with high Mn doping concentrations, which is also accompanied by a negative thermal remanent magnetization (TRM) in the higher temperature range. The temperature at which the magnetization starts to drop and the negative TRM appears show a correlation with the Mn doping concentration. The experimental results are discussed based on the formation of ferromagnetic regions at high temperature and antiferromagnetic coupling between these regions at low temperature.     

神经网络在大型复杂武器装备质量综合评价排序中的应用

从大型复杂武器装备系统的具体特点出发,运用基于神经网络的评价方法,构建了大型复杂武器装备质量综合评价模型。实证分析的结果表明该方法得出的结果与实际情况相符。