Sarcorucinine-D Inhibits Cholinesterases and Calcium Channels: Molecular Dynamics Simulation and In Vitro Mechanistic Investigations

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors and calcium channel blockers are considered effective therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. AChE plays an essential role in the nervous system by catalyzing the hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. In this study, the inhibition of the enzyme AChE by Sarcorucinine-D, a pregnane type steroidal alkaloid, was investigated with experimental enzyme kinetics and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation techniques. Kinetics studies showed that Sarcorucinine-D inhibits two cholinesterases—AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE)—noncompetitively, with K_i values of 103.3 and 4.66 µM, respectively. In silico ligand-protein docking and MD simulation studies conducted on AChE predicted that Sarcorucinine-D interacted via hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds with the residues of the active-site gorge of AChE. Sarcorucinine-D was able to relax contractility concentration-dependently in the intestinal smooth muscles of jejunum obtained from rabbits. Not only was the spontaneous spasmogenicity inhibited, but it also suppressed K⁺-mediated spasmogenicity, indicating an effect via the inhibition of voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels. Sarcorucinine-D could be considered a potential lead molecule based on its properties as a noncompetitive AChE inhibitor and a Ca²⁺ channel blocker.     

Structural Investigation of the Interaction Mechanism between Chlorogenic Acid and AMPA Receptor via In Silico Approaches

Chlorogenic acid (CGA), an important metabolite in natural plant medicines such as honeysuckle and eucommia, has been shown to have potent antinociceptive effects. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which CGA relieves chronic pain remains unclear. α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isooxazolpropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) is a major ionotropic glutamate receptor that mediates rapid excitatory synaptic transmission and its glutamate ionotropic receptor AMPA type subunit 1 (GluA1) plays a key role in nociceptive transmission. In this study, we used Western blot, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay, and the molecular simulation technologies to investigate the mechanism of interaction between CGA and AMPAR to relieve chronic pain. Our results indicate that the protein expression level of GluA1 showed a dependent decrease as the concentration of CGA increased (0, 50, 100, and 200 μM). The SPR assay demonstrates that CGA can directly bind to GluA1 (K_D = 496 μM). Furthermore, CGA forms a stable binding interaction with GluA1, which is validated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The binding free energy between CGA and GluA1 is −39.803 ± 14.772 kJ/mol, where van der Waals interaction and electrostatic interaction are the major contributors to the GluA1–CGA binding, and the key residues are identified (Val-32, Glu-33, Ala-36, Glu-37, Leu-48), which play a crucial role in the binding interaction. This study first reveals the structural basis of the stable interaction between CGA and GluA1 to form a binding complex for the relief of chronic pain. The research provides the structural basis to understand the treatment of chronic pain and is valuable to the design of novel drug molecules in the future.     

改进型单晶炉提拉系统偏心平衡研究

随着光伏行业的快速发展, 对硅单晶的品质和长晶装备的稳定性的要求也不断提高。直拉法是生产硅单晶的主要方法,通过提高单晶炉副室的高度以扩大单晶硅的生产规模。由于副室高度的大幅增加,且单晶炉提拉头质心相对于旋转轴心有一定距离,对单晶炉整体稳定性有较大影响,从而降低了单晶硅的生产质量。针对此问题,对单晶炉建立可靠的力学分析模型,采用数值仿真方法,对单晶炉整体进行动力学响应分析,计算得到副室高度增加后的单晶炉工作时中钨丝绳下端晶棒的运动规律以及最大摆动幅度,为改进设计提供依据。数值仿真分析表明提高单晶炉副室高度后,提拉头较大的质心偏心是单晶炉提拉系统发生摆动的主要原因。在此基础上提出在提拉头上添加质心调节装置,通过控制系统调节可保证提拉头质心位置在旋转轴线上以降低提拉系统的摆动。     

孔梯度陶瓷纤维复合膜管的制备及特性

陶瓷过滤管具有孔隙率高、耐腐蚀、耐高温、机械强度高、便于清洗、使用寿命长等优点,是高温烟尘处理用的高效过滤元件.本文研制了一种具有梯度孔结构堇青石陶瓷纤维复合膜过滤元件,该过滤元件是由多孔支撑体、过渡层和分离膜层组成.其中支撑体、过渡层和分离层的气孔率分别为35～40;、50～60;和60～70;.文中主要分析了孔梯度陶瓷纤维复合膜管的材料结构和抗热震性能,同时对复合膜管进行含尘气体过滤的冷态模拟试验.对于烟气中粒径大于或等于0.1μm的颗粒,复合膜管的截留率达到99.8;以上.     

Toxic Effect of Fullerene and Its Derivatives upon the Transmembrane β2-Adrenergic Receptors

Numerous experiments have revealed that fullerene (C₆₀) and its derivatives can bind to proteins and affect their biological functions. In this study, we explored the interaction between fullerine and the β₂-adrenergic receptor (β₂AR). The MD simulation results show that fullerene binds with the extracellular loop 2 (ECL2) and intracellular loop 2 (ICL2) of β₂AR through hydrophobic interactions and π–π stacking interactions. In the C₆₀_in1 trajectory, due to the π–π stacking interactions of fullerene molecules with PHE and PRO residues on ICL2, ICL2 completely flipped towards the fullerene direction and the fullerene moved slowly into the lipid membrane. When five fullerene molecules were placed on the extracellular side, they preferred to stack into a stable fullerene cluster (a deformed tetrahedral aggregate), and had almost no effect on the structure of β₂AR. The hydroxyl groups of fullerene derivatives (C₆₀(OH)_X, X represents the number of hydroxyl groups, X = 4, 8) can form strong hydrogen bonds with the ECL2, helix6, and helix7 of β₂AR. The hydroxyl groups firmly grasp the β₂AR receptor like several claws, blocking the binding entry of ligands. The simulation results show that fullerene and fullerene derivatives may have a significant effect on the local structure of β₂AR, especially the distortion of helix4, but bring about no great changes within the overall structure. It was found that C₆₀ did not compete with ligands for binding sites, but blocked the ligands’ entry into the pocket channel. All the above observations suggest that fullerene and its derivatives exhibit certain cytotoxicity.     

基于NPP-VIIRS夜间灯光数据的山西省GDP空间化模拟

选取山西省为研究对象,以美国国家极轨合作仪件-可见红外成像辐射计套件（NPP-VIIRS）夜间灯光数据、GDP统计数据等为数据源,构建GDP空间化拟合模型,建立山西省GDP密度图,据此研究山西省经济的空间差异性。通过对NPP-VIIRS夜间灯光数据的空间化处理,提取灯光指数,并将其与GDP进行回归拟合,建立最佳回归模型,得到GDP密度拟合图;利用县级GDP数据进行线性纠正,从而提高GDP的模拟精度。结果表明：（1）NPP-VIIRS夜间灯光数据与GDP的相关性较高,可用于山西省GDP模拟;（2）与GDP分区建模相比,GDP整体建模的精度更高;（3）山西省GDP的空间分布整体呈由城市中心逐渐向周边辐射的特点,构成GDP过渡带。     

The stability analysis of rolling motion of hypersonic vehicles and its validations

The stability of the rolling motion of near space hypersonic vehicles with rudder control is studied using method of qualitative analysis of nonlinear differential equations, and the stability criteria of the deflected rolling motions are improved. The outcomes can serve as the basis for further study regarding the influence of pitching and lateral motion on the stability of rolling motion. To validate the theoretical results, numerical simulations were done for the rolling motion of two hypersonic vehicles with typical configurations. Also, wind tunnel experiments for four aircraft models with typical configurations have been done. The results show that: 1) there exist two dynamic patterns of the rolling motion under statically stable condition. The first one is point attractor, for which the motion of aircraft returns to the original state. The second is periodic attractor, for which the aircraft rolls periodically. 2) Under statically unstable condition, there exist three dynamic patterns of rolling motion, namely, the point attractor, periodic attractor around deflected state of rolling motion, and double periodic attractors or chaotic attractors.     

MOS器件辐照过程和辐照后效应模拟

模拟MOS器件脉冲电离辐射响应和长时间恢复效应.假设隧道电子从硅进入氧化层和界面态的建立是辐射效应的恢复机理.在整个退火恢复期,采用卷积模型并考虑了栅偏置压的效应.模拟结果表明:退火过程所加栅偏压的大小以及隧道电子效应与建立的界面态所占比例的不同影响器件的恢复率.     

Stationary states of crystal growth in three dimensions

A new Markov process describing crystal growth in three dimensions is introduced. States of the process are configurations of the crystal surface, which has a terrace-edge-kink structure. The states are continuous along edges but discrete across edges, in accordance with the very different rates for the two types of captures of particles. Stationary distributions, describing steady crystal growth, are found in general. To our knowledge, these are the first examples of stationary distributions for layered crystal growth in three dimensions. The steady growth rate and other quantities are obtained explicitly for two interacting edges. For many interacting edges, growth behavior is determined (a) in various asymptotic regimes including thermodynamic limits, (b) via simulations, and (c) using series (cluster) expansions in the slope of the surface, the first three coefficients being computed. The theoretical growth rates show a marked dependence on surface dimensions. This may contribute to the size dependence and dispersion in the observed growth rate of small crystals.     

扫描环形光斑激光束优化研究

激光束的形状和能量分布限定了激光的应用范围,为满足不同的激光加工需要,必须对激光束进行变换。针对实验室用CO2激光器在热处理方面的应用,提出了激光扫描环形光斑光束优化法。基于温度场叠加原理建立了扫描环形光斑温度场的数学模型,模拟其温度场,可得到其温度分布特性;通过实验研究,分析了聚焦光斑与扫描环形光斑在激光淬火中对材料的热作用效果。结果表明,扫描环形光斑能改善激光热处理硬化层分布。理论和实验研究表明,激光扫描环形光斑技术可以实现激光热处理光束的优化,有一定的应用前景。