X-Ray Crystallography and Free Energy Calculations Reveal the Binding Mechanism of A2A Adenosine Receptor Antagonists

We present a robust protocol based on iterations of free energy perturbation (FEP) calculations, chemical synthesis, biophysical mapping and X-ray crystallography to reveal the binding mode of an antagonist series to the A_2A adenosine receptor (AR). Eight A_2AAR binding site mutations from biophysical mapping experiments were initially analyzed with sidechain FEP simulations, performed on alternate binding modes. The results distinctively supported one binding mode, which was subsequently used to design new chromone derivatives. Their affinities for the A_2AAR were experimentally determined and investigated through a cycle of ligand-FEP calculations, validating the binding orientation of the different chemical substituents proposed. Subsequent X-ray crystallography of the A_2AAR with a low and a high affinity chromone derivative confirmed the predicted binding orientation. The new molecules and structures here reported were driven by free energy calculations, and provide new insights on antagonist binding to the A_2AAR, an emerging target in immuno-oncology.     

Comparing π-complexation capabilities of ionic liquids containing silver(I) and copper(I) ions by headspace single drop microextraction in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography

Selective π-complexation capabilities of silver(I) and copper(I) ions can be effectively facilitated in ionic liquids. To understand the effects of environmental factors that influence the π-complexation of these metal ions with analytes, techniques that employ small volumes of ionic liquid that can be readily analyzed are desired. In this study, headspace single drop microextraction coupled with HPLC is used to investigate a diverse set of environmental factors on the metal ion-mediated complexation with aromatic compounds in ionic liquid media. Silver(I) and copper(I) bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide salts were both studied by dissolving them in the 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide ionic liquid and employing the mixture as extraction media for aromatic compounds. Water and acetonitrile within the sample solution were observed to interfere with the complexation of silver(I) ions and aromatic compounds, while ethylene glycol and triethylene glycol did not. The temperature and extraction times were optimized to fully facilitate the π-complexation capabilities of metal ions in ionic liquid media. Partition coefficients between the sample headspace and metal ion were determined using a three-phase equilibria model. Although no discernable difference in analyte partitioning between the headspace and ionic liquid solvent was observed, analyte partition coefficients to silver(I) ion tended to be greater compared to copper(I) ion.     

Faster first-order primal-dual methods for linear programming using restarts and sharpness

Mathematical Programming - First-order primal-dual methods are appealing for their low memory overhead, fast iterations, and effective parallelization. However, they are often slow at finding high...     

用长气体靶研究22Na+α共振散射

在日本东京大学CRIB 次级束装置上,用长气体靶开展了22Na+ α共振散射的厚靶实验研究。针对长气体靶实验中的两体运动学重构问题,提出了一套包括构建空间复杂几何关系、计算能量损失以及反应运动学的逐事件分析方法;对22Na+α共振散射的实验数据进行了重构分析,得到了E_c.m. = 4.2 ~ 5.4 MeV 区间22Na( α,α ) 的激发函数,从实验的激发函数中观测到了复合核26Al 5 个较为明显的共振峰。鉴于26Al 共振态的衰变模式比较复杂,本工作发现的26Al新共振态的能级性质有待进一步的理论分析。The 22Na+α resonant scattering is studied via a conventional thick target inverse kinematic method with an extended gas target. A data analysis method is proposed for the two-body reaction kinematic reconstruction, in which the spatial geometry, the reaction kinematics and the energy losses are considered. The experimental data of 22Na+ αresonant scattering have been thus reconstructed, and the excitation function is obtained in the energy interval of Ec.m. =4.2~5.4 MeV. Five resonant states in 26Al are observed in the experimental excitation function. Since several decay modes coexist for the observed 26Al resonant states, multi-channel theoretical analysis is thus needed to reveal their structure and decay features.     

Determination of coenzyme Q10 in human breast milk by high-performance liquid chromatography

An isocratic HPLC method was developed for the determination of coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) in human breast milk. After a single-step liquid-liquid extraction, the milk extract was injected directly into the HPLC system. The analytical method is based on pre-column inline treatment of CoQ(10). Chromatographic separation of CoQ(10) and coenzyme Q(9) (CoQ(9)) internal standard was achieved using a reversed-phase Microsorb-MV C(18) analytical column. CoQ(10) and CoQ(9) were monitored by an electrochemical detector (ECD). An excellent linearity (r = 0.999) was observed for CoQ(10) in the concentration range 0.06-2.5 micromol L(-1) in breast milk. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) was 60 nmol L(-1). Coefficients of variations (CVs) for intra-day and inter-day assay precisions were less than 5%. A total of 194 breast milk samples were analyzed for the CoQ(10) concentration; the mean value was 0.32 +/- 0.21 micromol L(-1).     

On the molecular mechanism of the crystal transformation (tetragonal-hexagonal) in polybutene-1

The phase transformation from the tetragonal to the hexagonal crystal modification in highly oriented lamellae of poly-butene-1 has been followed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is found that the reaction-controlling step is the nucleation process. No lattice orientation relationship (besides the [001]-direction, which is parallel in both crystal modifications) exists between non-transformed and transformed crystals. The nucleation is strongly enhanced by thermal or external stresses. Crystal growth, nucleated by external stresses, was observed at temperatures as low as — 150°C. The molecular mechanisms of the transformation are discussed.