RTD-1mimic containing γPNA scaffold exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial activities

Macrocyclic peptides with multiple disulfide cross-linkages, such as those produced by plants and those found in nonhuman primates, as components of the innate immunity, hold great promise for molecular therapy because of their broad biological activities and high chemical, thermal, and enzymatic stability. However, for some, because of their intricate spatial arrangement and elaborate interstrand cross-linkages, they are difficult to prepare de novo in large quantities and high purity, due to the nonselective nature of disulfide-bond formation. We show that the disulfide bridges of RTD-1, a member of the θ-defensin subfamily, could be replaced with noncovalent Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds without significantly affecting its biological activities. The work provides a general strategy for engineering conformationally rigid, cyclic peptides without the need for disulfide-bond reinforcement.     

Intrinsically linked signed graphs in projective space

We define a signed embedding of a signed graph into real projective space to be an embedding such that an embedded cycle is 0-homologous if and only if it is balanced. We characterize signed graphs that have a linkless signed embedding. In particular, we exhibit 46 graphs that form the complete minor-minimal set of signed graphs that contain a non-split link for every signed embedding. With one trivial exception, these graphs are derived from different signings of the seven Petersen family graphs.     

共振辐射的理论研究——Holstein方程的解

解决介质中共振辐射的关键问题是求解Holstein方程。本文直接利用算符运算将方程积分,给出了激发态粒子集居数的含无限项的级数表达式。基于对这个级数高阶系数的极限行为的研究,成功地克服了无穷项求和的困难,整理出一个在任意给定精度下都只含有限项的解式,由它可以计算出任何时刻的结果。 关键词：     

Control of chaotic instabilities in a spinning spacecraft with dissipation using Lyapunov''s method

Control of chaotic instability in a simplified model of a spinning spacecraft with dissipation is achieved using an algorithm derived using Lyapunov's second method. The control method is implemented on a realistic spacecraft parameter configuration which has been found to exhibit chaotic instability for a range of forcing amplitudes and frequencies when a sinusoidally varying torque is applied to the spacecraft. Such a torque, may arise in practice from an unbalanced rotor or from vibrations in appendages. Numerical simulations are performed and the results are studied by means of time history, phase space, Poincaré map, Lyapunov characteristic exponents and bifurcation diagrams.     

An expanded neutral M4L6 cage that encapsulates four tetrahydrofuran molecules

A large 4,4'-biphenylene-spaced bis-β-diketone ligand is demonstrated to form a neutral tetrahedral M(4)L(6) metal-organic cage that encloses a volume of 844 ?(3) and encapsulates four tetrahydrofuran guest molecules.     

Liquid�Cliquid extraction studies with 4,4��-biphenylene-spaced bis-��-diketones

4,4??-biphenylene spaced lipophilic bis-??-diketone ligands of the type 4,4??-bis(RC(O)CH₂C(O))C₁₂H₈ (R = Pr, Ph, hexyl, octyl, nonyl) have been prepared and used for the liquid?Cliquid extraction of d-block metal ions. These ligands are expected to interact with divalent metal ions to form charge-neutral trinuclear metallocycles of type [M₃(L ³ )₃(solvent)] as has been demonstrated with the previously reported derivative of H₂ L ³ (R =  ^t Bu), the X-ray structure of which is reported. Liquid?Cliquid extraction studies were performed in a two-phase water/chloroform system employing a radiotracer technique for cobalt(II) and zinc(II). These experiments involved the systematic variation of ligand, metal and 4-ethylpyridine concentrations to probe the stoichiometries of the species extracted. Synergistic extraction was observed when 4-ethylpyridine was present with the ligand in the organic phase. Competitive extraction studies demonstrated the ligands are highly selective for copper(II) over cobalt(II), nickel(II), zinc(II) and cadmium(II).     

Crystal Structures of 2-Aminobenzothiazole-based Inhibitors in Complexes with Urokinase-type Plasminogen Activator

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator （uPA） plays a crucial role in the regulation of plasminogen activation, tumor cell adhesion and migration. The inhibition of uPA activity is a promising mechanism for anti-cancer therapy. Most current uPA inhibitors employ a highly basic group （either amidine or guanidine group） to target the S1 pocket of uPA active site, which leads to poor oral bioavailability. Here we study the possibility of using less basic 2-aminobenzothiazole （ABT） as S1 pocket binding group. We report the crystal structures of uPA complexes with ABT or 2-amino-benzothiazole-6-carboxylic acid ethyl ester （ABTCE）. The inhibitory constants of these two inhibitors were measured by a chromogenic competitive assay, and it was found that ABTCE is a better inhibitor for uPA （Ki = 656 μM） than ABT （Ki = 5.03 mM）. This work shows that 2-amniobenzothiazole can be used as P1 group which may have better oral bioavailability than the commonly used amidine or guanidine group. We also found the ethyl ester group occupies the characteristic oxyanion hole and contacts to uPA 37- and 60-loops. Such work provides structural information for further improvements of potency and selectivity of this new class of uPA inhibitor.