Identification and Structure–Activity Relationship Studies of Small‐Molecule Inhibitors of the Methyllysine Reader Protein Spindlin1

The methyllysine reader protein Spindlin1 has been implicated in the tumorigenesis of several types of cancer and may be an attractive novel therapeutic target. Small‐molecule inhibitors of Spindlin1 should be valuable as chemical probes as well as potential new therapeutics. We applied an iterative virtual screening campaign, encompassing structure‐ and ligand‐based approaches, to identify potential Spindlin1 inhibitors from databases of commercially available compounds. Our in silico studies coupled with in vitro testing were successful in identifying novel Spindlin1 inhibitors. Several 4‐aminoquinazoline and quinazolinethione derivatives were among the active hit compounds, which indicated that these scaffolds represent promising lead structures for the development of Spindlin1 inhibitors. Subsequent lead optimization studies were hence carried out, and numerous derivatives of both lead scaffolds were synthesized. This resulted in the discovery of novel inhibitors of Spindlin1 and helped explore the structure–activity relationships of these inhibitor series.     

Note: Autoignition Temperature of Selected Polymers at Elevated Oxygen Pressure and Their Heat of Combustion

Autoignition temperature and heat of combustion are two important parameters in determining the oxygen compatibility of materials. This study investigates the autoignition temperature of 32 polymers at an elevated oxygen pressure of 10.3 MPa and reports their heat of combustion. © 1996 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An investigation of scotopic threshold-versus-illuminance curves for the analysis of color-matching data

Stiles developed a method for estimating whether rod-photoreceptor activity contributed to color-matching data. This method requires knowledge of the rod threshold at the illuminance levels of lights being viewed. Stiles suggested that the Aguilar and Stiles scotopic threshold-versus-illuminance (TVI) curve could serve as a convenient approximation of the rod threshold. Stiles' method was intended for use in color-matching experiments where the stimuli are presented side by side, but, in the Aguilar and Stiles experiment, detection thresholds were measured for temporally pulsed lights. This study compares rod-sensitivity with detection and side-by-side adjustment tasks. The illumination level of the test and background light was kept below the absolute threshold of the short-wavelength sensitive cones, because there is evidence that cone signals may interact with the scotopic TVI function. The threshold data fell mainly within the range of the Aguilar and Stiles observers. There were two notable deviations from the Aguilar and Stiles curve: (1) consistent with previous reports, the scotopic TVI function had a slope shallower than the Aguilar and Stiles curve when measured with a short-wavelength background; (2) thresholds measured from a dark surround with a spatial adjustment task were higher than the Aguilar and Stiles thresholds even though the slopes were the same. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Large-area nanoscale patterning: chemistry meets fabrication

This Account describes a new paradigm for large-area nanoscale patterning that combines bottom-up and top-down approaches, merging chemistry with fabrication. This hybrid strategy uses simple nanofabrication techniques to control the alignment, size, shape, and periodicity of nanopatterns and chemical methods to control their materials properties and crystallinity. These tools are highly flexible and can create surface-patterned nanostructures with unusual properties and free-standing nanostructures that are multifunctional and monodisperse. The unprecedented scientific and technological opportunities enabled by nanoscale patterning over wafer-sized areas are discussed.     

Integrating a broader notion of food security and gender empowerment into the African Green Revolution

A Green Revolution for Africa is emerging after decades of neglect of Africa’s agricultural systems. To counter these years of neglect, the then United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for “a uniquely African Green Revolution”. Since then, a number of initiatives have emerged or are emerging to realize this important vision. As more money and attention galvanizes much-needed action on the African Green Revolution, a vigorous debate is required to ensure that the mission of improving food security on the world’s poorest continent is achieved in the most effective, comprehensive and inclusive manner possible. The African Green Revolution cannot be limited to increasing yields of staple crops but must be designed as a driver of sustainable development, which includes gender empowerment and nutrition elements. This paper first reviews the Asian Green Revolution’s successes and shortcomings from a nutrition and gender perspective and then outlines what the global community can do to ensure that some of the limitations of the Asian Green Revolution, specifically with regard to nutrition and gender, are not repeated.     

Regulatory,design and methodological impacts in determining tidal-in-stream power resource potential

Tidal-in-Stream energy has been heralded by many as a significant potential source for clean power, a scheme where kinetic energy is extracted from tidal currents. A number of estimates have suggested that tidal power may become a sizeable fraction of overall electricity generation, however these estimates have been largely based on a resource assessment methodology that dramatically oversimplifies the physical phenomenon at play. This paper develops a model that considers the effect of energy extraction on the bulk flow, showing that tidal energy inventories that assess solely kinetic energy flux may represent both an order-of-magnitude overestimation of the resource and a significant oversimplification of regulatory impacts.     

Composite chitosan and calcium sulfate scaffold for dual delivery of vancomycin and recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2

A biodegradable, composite bone graft, composed of chitosan microspheres embedded in calcium sulfate, was evaluated in vitro for point-of-care loading and delivery of antibiotics and growth factors to prevent infection and stimulate healing in large bone injuries. Microspheres were loaded with rhBMP-2 or vancomycin prior to mixing into calcium sulfate loaded with vancomycin. Composites were evaluated for set time, drug release kinetics, and bacteriostatic/bactericidal activity of released vancomycin, induction of ALP expression by released rhBMP-2, and interaction of drugs on cells. Results showed the composite set in under 36 min and released vancomycin levels that were bactericidal to S. aureus (>MIC 8–16 μg/mL) for 18 days. Composites exhibited a 1 day-delayed release, followed by a continuous release of rhBMP-2 over 6 weeks; ranging from 0.06 to 1.49 ng/mL, and showed a dose dependent release based on initial loading. Released rhBMP-2 levels were, however, too low to induce detectable levels of ALP in W20-17 cells, due to the affinity of rhBMP-2 for calcium-based materials. With stimulating amounts of rhBMP-2 (>50 ng/mL), the ALP response from W-20-17 cells was inhibited when exposed to high vancomycin levels (1,800–3,600 μg/mL). This dual-delivery system is an attractive alternative to single delivery or preloaded systems for bone regeneration since it can simultaneously fight infection and deliver a potent growth factor. Additionally, this composite can accommodate a wide range of therapeutics and thus be customizable for specific patient needs, however, the potential interactive effects of multiple agents must be investigated to ensure that functional activity is not altered.