Binding Ensembles of p53-MDM2 Peptide Inhibitors by Combining Bayesian Inference and Atomistic Simulations

Designing peptide inhibitors of the p53-MDM2 interaction against cancer is of wide interest. Computational modeling and virtual screening are a well established step in the rational design of small molecules. But they face challenges for binding flexible peptide molecules that fold upon binding. We look at the ability of five different peptides, three of which are intrinsically disordered, to bind to MDM2 with a new Bayesian inference approach (MELD × MD). The method is able to capture the folding upon binding mechanism and differentiate binding preferences between the five peptides. Processing the ensembles with statistical mechanics tools depicts the most likely bound conformations and hints at differences in the binding mechanism. Finally, the study shows the importance of capturing two driving forces to binding in this system: the ability of peptides to adopt bound conformations (ΔGconformation) and the interaction between interface residues (ΔGinteraction).     

高效液相色谱-串联质谱法同时测定表层水体中5类40种抗生素

建立了固相萃取-高效液相色谱-串联质谱（SPE-HPLC-MS/MS）同时检测表层水中5类40种抗生素的分析方法。水样经过滤、固相萃取柱富集净化后，以乙腈-0.2%（v/v）甲酸水溶液为流动相进行梯度洗脱，采用电喷雾电离源，在多反应监测、正离子模式进行定性定量分析。结果显示，40种抗生素在1~200 μg/L水平下线性关系良好，平均加标回收率为41.3%~112.6%。采用该方法对长江南京段表层水体进行检测，共检出13种抗生素，含量为13.4~780.5 ng/L，其中喹诺酮类抗生素恩诺沙星检出率达100%，大环内酯类抗生素克林霉素最高检出水平达739.4 ng/L。该法高效、灵敏、可靠，可用于实际水样中多种抗生素的分析。     

The phase diagram of KNO3-KClO3

The binary phase diagram of KNO₃-KClO₃ is studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and high-temperature X-ray diffraction. The limited solid solutions, K(NO₃)_1−x(ClO₃)_x (0<x<0.20) and K(NO₃)_1−x(ClO₃)_x (0.90<x<1.0), were formed in the KNO₃-based solid solutions and KClO₃-based solid solutions phase, respectively. For KNO₃-based solid solutions, KNO₃ ferroelectric phase can be stable from 423 to 223 K as a result of substituting of NO₃ by ClO₃-radicals. The temperatures for solidus and liquidus have been determined based on limited solid solutions. Two models, Henrian solution and regular solution theory for KNO₃-based (α) phase and KClO₃-based (β) phase, respectively, are employed to reproduce solidus and liquidus of the phase diagram. The results are in good agreement with the DSC data. The thermodynamic properties for α and β solid solutions have been derived from an optimization procedure using the experimental data. The calculated phase diagram and optimized thermodynamic parameters are thermodynamically self-consistent.     

Pt／钇稳定氧化锆固体电解质在高温下的电化学性质

用交流阻抗技术研究了二电极、三电极Ｐｔ／钇稳定氧化锆（简称ＹＳＺ）高温固体电化学体系．开路电位下，Ｐｔ／ＹＳＺ体系只有一个阻抗半圆，对应于电极体系的电化学活化控制过程，极化电阻随温度变化的表观活化能为１７１．５ｋＪ／ｍｏｌ．Ｐｔ／ＹＳＺ界面的双电层电容约为３００μＦ／ｃｍ２．阳极极化下，交流阻抗极化电阻显著减小；阴极极化下，极化电阻反而增大，并出现浓差控制现象．     

Solid sampling Fourier transform infrared determination of Mancozeb in pesticide formulations

A series of approaches have been assayed for FTIR determination of Mancozeb in several solid commercial fungicides using different calibration strategies. The simplest procedure was based on the use of the ratio between the absorbance of a characteristic band of Mancozeb and that of a KSCN internal standard measured in the FTIR spectra obtained from KBr pellets. It was employed the quotient between peak height absorbance values at 1525 cm⁻¹ for Mancozeb and 2070 cm⁻¹ for KSCN. In these conditions a precision as relative standard deviation (RSD) of 0.6% and a relative accuracy error of 0.8% (w/w) were found. For complex formulations, containing other compounds with characteristic absorption bands at different wavenumbers than Mancozeb, one of them was used as internal reference being employed the standard addition approach. In this case, the Mancozeb bands at 1525 cm⁻¹ or at 1289 cm⁻¹ were employed, being used the ferrocyanide band at 2075 cm⁻¹ as internal reference. RSD values between 0.7-1.4% and a relative accuracy error of 3% (w/w) were found. A third strategy was based on the use of partial least squares (PLS) calibration. A reference set was prepared mixing Mancozeb, Kaolin, Cymoxanil and KBr, being predicted the Mancozeb concentration in pesticide formulations by using the quotient between absorbance bands of Mancozeb and those of Cymoxanil. In these conditions a relative accuracy error of 0.6% (w/w) and a relative standard deviation of 1.3% were found.     

Filter Diagonalization with Finite Fourier Transform Eigenfunctions

Below, we briefly report on the progress in the development of the Filter Diagonalization technique when filtering is carried out with the aid of Finite Fourier Transform (FFT) eigenfunctions. During recent years interest in these functions, also known as ‘prolates’, or ‘slepians’, has increased among scientists doing research in the field of signal processing. The main explanation to this follows from the set of very special extremal and orthogonality properties exibited by the FFT eigenfunctions. Recent results of Walter and Shen on sampling with prolate spheroidal functions will necessary produce a new wave of interest. In the presented, Filter diagonalization machinery, we show that the sampling formula of Walter and Shen simplifies essentially the computation of matrix elements as certain 2D–integrals involving FFT eigenfunctions.     

Synthesis and thermal decomposition of lanthanide hexacyanochromate(iii) complexes,Ln[Cr(CN)6]·nH2O (Ln=La-Lu; n=3, 4)

New solid complex of nitrilotriacetic acid and bismuth trichloride was synthesized by a solid phase reaction of nitrilotriacetic acid and bismuth trichloride at room temperature. The composition of the sample is BiCl₃[N(CH₂COOH)₃]_2.5. The crystal structure of the complex belongs to triclinic system with the lattice parameters: α=0.7849 nm, β=0.9821 nm, χ=2.0021 nm, α=96.50°, β=98.76° and γ=90.49°. The far-infrared spectra show the bonding between the Bi ion and N atom of nitrilotriacetic acid. The thermal analysis also demonstrates the complex formation between the bismuth ion and nitrilotriacetic acid. The gaseous pyrolysis product and the final residue in the thermal decomposition process are determined to check the thermal decomposition reaction. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Carbon dioxide reduction under visible light: a comparison of cadmium sulfide and titania photocatalysts

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High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of Levetiracetam in human plasma: comparison of different sample clean-up procedures

An accurate and precise high-performance liquid chromatographic method using diode array detection for the determination of the novel antiepileptic, Levetiracetam, has been developed. Three clean-up procedures for the analysis of Levetiracetam in human plasma were implemented and evaluated, namely solid-phase extraction, deproteinization by addition of organic solvents and formation of insoluble salts. Adenosine was used as the internal standard for all three sample pretreatment procedures. Among the several cartridges used for solid-phase extraction, the hydrophilic-lypophilic balance (Oasis) HLB) phase provides the best extraction yield of Levetiracetam, together with high precision. With the two other clean-up procedures involving plasma deproteinization by addition of methanol or zinc sulphate, lower sensitivity and precision of the assays were obtained. However, they are cheaper and faster when compared with the solid-phase extraction procedure.     

Solid-phase synthesis of dihydrovirginiamycin S1, a streptogramin B antibiotic

We describe the first solid-phase synthesis of dihydrovirginiamycin S(1), a member of the streptogramin B family of antibiotics, which are nonribosomal-peptide natural products produced by Streptomyces. These compounds, along with the synergistic group A components, are "last line of defense" antimicrobial agents for the treatment of life-threatening infections such as vancomycin-resistant enterococci. The synthesis features an on-resin cyclization and is designed to allow production of streptogramin B analogues with diversification at positions 1', 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. Several synthetic challenges known to hinder the synthesis of this class of compounds were solved, including sensitivity to acids and bases, and epimerization and rearrangements, through the judicious choice of deprotection conditions, coupling conditions, and synthetic strategy. This work should enable a better understanding of structure-activity relationships in the streptogramin B compounds, possible identification of analogues that bypass known resistance mechanisms, and perhaps the identification of analogues with novel biological activities.