Computational Investigation Identified Potential Chemical Scaffolds for Heparanase as Anticancer Therapeutics

Heparanase (Hpse) is an endo-β-D-glucuronidase capable of cleaving heparan sulfate side chains. Its upregulated expression is implicated in tumor growth, metastasis and angiogenesis, thus making it an attractive target in cancer therapeutics. Currently, a few small molecule inhibitors have been reported to inhibit Hpse, with promising oral administration and pharmacokinetic (PK) properties. In the present study, a ligand-based pharmacophore model was generated from a dataset of well-known active small molecule Hpse inhibitors which were observed to display favorable PK properties. The compounds from the InterBioScreen database of natural (69,034) and synthetic (195,469) molecules were first filtered for their drug-likeness and the pharmacophore model was used to screen the drug-like database. The compounds acquired from screening were subjected to molecular docking with Heparanase, where two molecules used in pharmacophore generation were used as reference. From the docking analysis, 33 compounds displayed higher docking scores than the reference and favorable interactions with the catalytic residues. Complex interactions were further evaluated by molecular dynamics simulations to assess their stability over a period of 50 ns. Furthermore, the binding free energies of the 33 compounds revealed 2 natural and 2 synthetic compounds, with better binding affinities than reference molecules, and were, therefore, deemed as hits. The hit compounds presented from this in silico investigation could act as potent Heparanase inhibitors and further serve as lead scaffolds to develop compounds targeting Heparanase upregulation in cancer.     

Agro-Waste Generated Pd/CAP-Ash Catalyzed Ligand-Free Approach for Suzuki–Miyaura Coupling Reaction

Catalysis Letters - We converted agro-waste Custard Apple Peels (CAP) to ash via thermal treatment, on which Pd(OAc)2 was immobilized easily that produced a low-cost, highly efficient Pd/CAP-ash...     

车门铰链系统与车门下沉刚度的相关性

针对某型车门下沉问题,通过台架试验获得车门、铰链和车身等各单因素下沉量和车门绞链系统整体下沉量,对单因素下沉量与系统整体下沉刚度进行线性拟合分析,得到车门铰链系统各单因素与系统下沉刚度的相关度排序.对前、后车门分别选取相关度较高的单因素进行优化,最终改进方案的仿真和试验结果证明该方案可有效地提升车门下沉刚度.采用定量分析法可快速找出影响下沉刚度的敏感因素,并能够快速生成优化方案,为新车型设计提供参考.     

Inhibition of RANKL-Induced Osteoclastogenesis by Novel Mutant RANKL

Background: Recently, it was reported that leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 4 (LGR4, also called GPR48) is another receptor for RANKL and was shown to compete with RANK to bind RANKL and suppress canonical RANK signaling during osteoclast differentiation. The critical role of the protein triad RANK–RANKL in osteoclastogenesis has made their binding an important target for the development of drugs against osteoporosis. In this study, point-mutations were introduced in the RANKL protein based on the crystal structure of the RANKL complex and its counterpart receptor RANK, and we investigated whether LGR4 signaling in the absence of the RANK signal could lead to the inhibition of osteoclastogenesis.; Methods: The effects of point-mutated RANKL (mRANKL-MT) on osteoclastogenesis were assessed by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), resorption pit formation, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blot, NFATc1 nuclear translocation, micro-CT and histomorphological assay in wild type RANKL (mRANKL-WT)-induced in vitro and in vivo experimental mice model. Results: As a proof of concept, treatment with the mutant RANKL led to the stimulation of GSK-3β phosphorylation, as well as the inhibition of NFATc1 translocation, mRNA expression of TRAP and OSCAR, TRAP activity, and bone resorption, in RANKL-induced mouse models; and Conclusions: The results of our study demonstrate that the mutant RANKL can be used as a therapeutic agent for osteoporosis by inhibiting RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis via comparative inhibition of RANKL. Moreover, the mutant RANKL was found to lack the toxic side effects of most osteoporosis treatments.     

Phase,domain, and microstructures in Sr2+ substituted low-temperature sintering PZT-based relaxor ferroelectrics

The Ag-Pd internal electrode of multilayer piezoelectric ceramics needs to be sintered below 1000°C, and lead wires and components need to be welded with lead-free solder at 260°C. PNN–PMW–PZT–xSr piezoelectric ceramics with high Curie temperature (T_c > 260°C) were synthesized at a low sintering temperature (960°C) to meet the requirements of multilayer piezoelectric devices. The relationship between structures (phase, domain, and microstructures) and electrical properties (piezo/ferroelectric properties, and dielectric relaxation) in the Sr²⁺ substituted ceramics was investigated. Rietveld refinement and Raman spectra show that Sr²⁺ substitution can cause the phase change and increase the force constant of [BO₆] octahedron. The piezoelectric response increases with increasing the content of the tetragonal phase (CTP) in the rhombohedral-tetragonal (R-T) coexisted ceramics. The ceramics with 0.6 mol% Sr²⁺ substitution have minimum activation energy for domain wall movement (E_a) of 0.0362 eV which favors the formation of nanometer-sized domains, and possess excellent electrical properties (d₃₃ = 623 pC/N, d₃₃^* =783 pm/V, T_c =295°C). The higher the CTP, the lower the E_a. The lower E_a favors the rotation of polarization direction and extension, and is beneficial to the generation of the nanometer-size domains, resulting in high piezoelectric properties.     

超大型塔器整体两侧直线度检测

在传统检测手段无法满足越来越趋向大型化、超大型化的塔器整体两侧直线度的过程检测和控制保障背景下,打破传统思维,大胆创新检测手段,自行设计开发出超大型塔器整体两侧直线度检测整套技术,充分解决超大型塔器整体两侧直线度的检测难题.     

电磁脉冲辐射波模拟器双锥-平面线栅天线场分布规律

双锥-平面线栅结构的水平极化辐射波天线对辐射场半宽影响较小且架设方便、易于维护，掌握该型天线场分布规律是确定模拟器场均匀区、开展电磁脉冲效应实验的前提。利用天线理论研究双锥-平面线栅天线的场分布规律，结合数值模拟和实际天线试验对理论分析结果进行验证。结果表明：在天线结构和激励电压确定的条件下，双锥中心正下方辐射电场极化分量仅与测点到源的距离相关，二者呈反比；Oxz平面内以双锥中心为圆心的圆弧上任意一点辐射电场极化分量的幅值相等，并在同一时刻达到峰值；Oxz平面内同一水平线上的测点总辐射场幅值相等，方向沿测点所在圆弧的切线方向；各辐射场分量关于Oxz平面和Oyz平面对称分布；对于实际模拟器，地面反射会使辐射场波形下降沿陡降，导致地面附近辐射场半宽变小；线栅极板会影响附近的场分布，且极板外侧4个角点处的反射相对较强，其他位置辐射场分布与理论分析一致。     

FE-SEA方法在平台支持船噪声预报中的应用

平台支持船由于作业需要通常配备有动力定位系统,其在侧推工况下舱室噪声超标较为严重。针对这个问题采用计算流体力学(CFD)方法,得到侧推螺旋桨作用在导管上的脉动压力,并将时域计算结果转换成噪声计算的激励条件。采用有限元(FE)与统计能量分析(SEA)混合方法建立船体中频段FE-SEA耦合模型并建立船体高频段SEA模型,对某65 m AHTS船侧推工况下全频段(63 Hz~8000 Hz)舱室噪声进行预报,分析该船噪声分布规律及主要影响因素。并建立起全船的SEA模型,在中频段对比SEA与FE-SEA两种方法得到的舱室声压级频谱曲线,验证了使用混合模型的必要性。     

Inter-Sample and Intra-Sample Variability in Electronic Properties of Methylammonium Lead Iodide

While the challenges associated with the stability of metal halide perovskites are well known and intensely studied, variability in electronic properties represents an equally significant, yet seldom studied, challenge that could potentially slow or inhibit the commercial viability of these systems. In this work, the contactless characterization technique time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) is used to quantify the variability in electronic properties of the prototypical perovskite, methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI₃) both between different samples, and at different locations within the same sample. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a quasi-automated image-analysis strategy, it is possible to evaluate the metrics of heterogeneity in surface microstructure and correlate them with the electronic properties as obtained by TRMC. Substantial intra-sample and inter-sample variation is observed in the mobility-yield product in samples prepared following differing protocols, and in samples prepared following identical protocols.     

建筑用夹层玻璃常见质量问题及原因分析

阐述了建筑用夹层玻璃产品检测中一些常见的质量问题,对其产生的原因进行分析,并对建筑用夹层玻璃的生产和质量管理提出建议.