Two acridones and two coumarins from the roots of Paramignya trimera

Two acridones, paratrimerins C (1) and D (2), and two coumarins, paratrimerins E (3) and F (4), were isolated from the CHCl₃ and EtOAc extracts of Paramignya trimera (Rutaceae), together with twelve known compounds (5–16). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data. All isolated compounds possessed significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in a concentration-dependent manner, and showed more potent inhibitory activity, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 14.6 to 112.2 μM, than the positive control acarbose (IC₅₀, 214.5 μM). The biosynthesis of the isolated coumarins and acridones was proposed.     

Activity of the acyl-CoA synthetase ACSL6 isoforms: role of the fatty acid Gate-domains

Background  

Activation of fatty acids by acyl-CoA synthetase enzymes is required for de novo lipid synthesis, fatty acid catabolism, and remodeling of biological membranes. Human long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase member 6, ASCL6, is a form present in the plasma membrane of cells. Splicing events affecting the amino-terminus and alternative motifs near the ATP-binding site generate different isoforms of ACSL6.     

A hybrid generational genetic algorithm for the periodic vehicle routing problem with time windows

We propose a new population-based hybrid meta-heuristic for the periodic vehicle routing problem with time windows. This meta-heuristic is a generational genetic algorithm that uses two neighborhood-based meta-heuristics to optimize offspring. Local search methods have previously been proposed to enhance the fitness of offspring generated by crossover operators. In the proposed method, neighborhood-based meta-heuristics are used for their capacity to escape local optima, and deliver optimized and diversified solutions to the population of the next generation. Furthermore, the search performed by the neighborhood-based meta-heuristics repairs most of the constraint violations that naturally occur after the application of the crossover operators. The genetic algorithm we propose introduces two new crossover operators addressing the periodic vehicle routing problem with time windows. The two crossover operators are seeking the diversification of the exploration in the solution space from solution recombination, while simultaneously aiming not to destroy information about routes in the population as computing routes is NP-hard. Extensive numerical experiments and comparisons with all methods proposed in the literature show that the proposed methodology is highly competitive, providing new best solutions for a number of large instances.     

Stokes flow in a junction of two-dimensional orthogonal channels

The purpose of this study is to calculate Stokes flow structures in relation to flow rate distribution in a junction of four orthogonal channels. Particular attention was paid to the existence of recirculation flow inside the channels for low Reynolds numbers. The presence of this recirculation flow may be observed, but only when the flow rate is relatively low in at least one of the branches.     

A linear wave equation with a nonlinear boundary condition of viscoelastic type

The paper is devoted to the study of a linear wave equation with a nonlinear boundary condition of viscoelastic type. The existence of a weak solution is proved by using the Faedo–Galerkin method. The uniqueness, regularity and asymptotic expansion of the solution are also discussed.     

Unbounded Components in the Solution Sets of Strictly Quasiconcave Vector Maximization Problems

Let (P) denote the vector maximization problem

How complex is the dynamics of Peptide folding?

Classical molecular dynamics simulations of the folding of alanine peptides in aqueous solution are analyzed by constructing a deterministic model of the dynamics, using methods from nonlinear time series analysis. While the dimension of the free energy landscape increases with system size, a Lyapunov analysis shows that the effective dimension of the dynamic system is rather small and even decreases with chain length. The observed reduction of phase space is a nonlinear cooperative effect that is caused by intramolecular hydrogen bonds that stabilize the secondary structure of the peptides.     

Existence and Exponential Decay of Solutions for a Wave Equation with Integral Nonlocal Boundary Conditions of Memory Type

In this paper, we consider a wave equation with integral nonlocal boundary conditions of memory type. First, we establish two local existence theorems by using Faedo–Galerkin method and standard arguments of density. Next, we give a su?cient condition to guarantee the global existence and exponential decay of weak solutions. Finally, we present numerical results.     

Comparative studies of nontoxic and toxic amyloids interacting with membrane models at the air-water interface

Many in vitro studies have pointed out the interaction between amyloids and membranes, and their potential involvement in amyloid toxicity. In a previous study, we generated a yeast toxic mutant (M8) of the harmless model amyloid protein HET-s((218-289)). In this study, we compared the self-assembling process of the nontoxic wild-type (WT) and toxic (M8) protein at the air-water interface and in interaction with various phospholipid monolayers (DOPE, DOPC, DOPI, DOPS and DOPG). We first demonstrate using ellipsometry measurements and polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PMIRRAS) that the air-water interface promotes and modifies the assembly of WT since an amyloid-like film was instantaneously formed at the interface with an antiparallel β-sheet structuration instead of the parallel β-sheet commonly observed for amyloid fibers generated in solution. The toxic mutant (M8) behaves in a similar manner at the air-water interface or in bulk, with a fast self-assembling and an antiparallel β-sheet organization. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images established the fibrillous morphology of the protein films formed at the air-water interface. Second, we demonstrate for the first time that the main driving force between this particular fungus amyloid and membrane interaction is based on electrostatic interactions with negatively charged phospholipids (DOPG, DOPI, DOPS). Interestingly, the toxic mutant (M8) clearly induces perturbations of the negatively charged phospholipid monolayers, leading to a massive surface aggregation, whereas the nontoxic (WT) exhibits a slight effect on the membrane models. This study allows concluding that the toxicity of the M8 mutant could be due to its high propensity to interact with membranes.     

The existence of asymptotically stable solutions for a nonlinear functional integral equation with values in a general Banach space

Motivated by the recent known results about the solvability and existence of asymptotically stable solutions for nonlinear functional integral equations in spaces of functions defined on unbounded intervals with values in the n-dimensional real space, we establish asymptotically stable solutions for a nonlinear functional integral equation in the space of all continuous functions on R₊ with values in a general Banach space, via a fixed point theorem of Krasnosel’skii type. In order to illustrate the result obtained here, an example is given.