ACE2, the Receptor that Enables Infection by SARS-CoV-2: Biochemistry,Structure, Allostery and Evaluation of the Potential Development of ACE2 Modulators

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the human receptor that interacts with the spike protein of coronaviruses, including the one that produced the 2020 coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Thus, ACE2 is a potential target for drugs that disrupt the interaction of human cells with SARS-CoV-2 to abolish infection. There is also interest in drugs that inhibit or activate ACE2, that is, for cardiovascular disorders or colitis. Compounds binding at alternative sites could allosterically affect the interaction with the spike protein. Herein, we review biochemical, chemical biology, and structural information on ACE2, including the recent cryoEM structures of full-length ACE2. We conclude that ACE2 is very dynamic and that allosteric drugs could be developed to target ACE2. At the time of the 2020 pandemic, we suggest that available ACE2 inhibitors or activators in advanced development should be tested for their ability to allosterically displace the interaction between ACE2 and the spike protein.     

Hydrogen adsorption studies in micro-size cobalt dots

Hydrogen desorption curves were obtained from a sample composed of a square arrangement of Co dots with average diameter of 4.4 μm, separated by a distance of 11.6 μm. A macroscopic sample of Co dots grown on a 2.5 × 2.5 cm Si substrate was made by standard lithographic techniques and used in these experiments. Thermal programmed desorption (TPD) was performed under ultra-high vacuum conditions. Hydrogen TPD curves were obtained from a 1 × 1 cm Co dots samples displaying a maximum of intensity at 425 K. Hydrogen TPD curve was also obtained from 1 cm× 1 cm samples of Co films and Co foils for comparison. The hydrogen TPD curves have decreasing intensity from the Co foils to the Co dots and finally to the Co films. This indicates that there are more sites for hydrogen adsorption on the Co dots than in the Co films. This is a surprising result because there is approximately 8.7 times less Co atoms exposed in the Co dots that in the Co film sample. A desorption energy of 27 kcal/mol was obtained for the Co dots suggesting that hydrogen is adsorbed on an hcp hollow site of the Co dot crystalline structure.     

The Possibilities of Community OR in a Third World Country

This paper shows a few possibilities for the application of Community OR in a Third World country based on experience in Venezuela. These possibilities are discussed in a framework of the relationship between the state and community organizations. Emphasis lies in showing that Community OR in Venezuela requires a deep critical commitment to emancipation in order to help community organizations develop in a rather hostile environment. Lastly, results in dealing with community organizations in Venezuela using the Interpretive Systemology approach are presented.     

Using memory and fuzzy rules in a co-operative multi-thread strategy for optimization

In this article, we analyze a co-operative multi-thread search-based optimization strategy, where each solver thread represents a different optimization algorithm (or the same one with different settings), and they are all controlled by a centralized co-ordinator. We also propose the use of memory to keep track of both the state of the individual threads and the obtained solutions. Based on this memory, a very simple fuzzy rule base is used to control the system behavior.We also present the results of three computational experiments. The first of these checks the strategy by comparing it with an independent search strategy and a sequential algorithm, and the superiority of the co-operative scheme is confirmed. The second analyzes how definition of the threads affects the quality of the results, and the importance of there being a balanced set between intensification and diversification is corroborated. The third explores the use of memory with two different fuzzy rules, and the results indicate that the best combination is to use memory together with two rules (solver dependent and solver independent ones) (although this combination should not be activated at the beginning of the search in order to avoid premature convergence).     

A survey on approaches to gridification

The Grid shows itself as a globally distributed computing environment, in which hardware and software resources are virtualized to transparently provide applications with vast capabilities. Just like the electrical power grid, the Grid aims at offering a powerful yet easy‐to‐use computing infrastructure to which applications can be easily ‘plugged’ and efficiently executed. Unfortunately, it is still very difficult to Grid‐enable applications, since current tools force users to take into account many details when adapting applications to run on the Grid. In this paper, we survey some of the recent efforts in providing tools for easy gridification of applications and propose several taxonomies to identify approaches followed in the materialization of such tools. We conclude this paper by describing common features among the proposed approaches, and by pointing out open issues and future directions in the research and development of gridification methods. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

ST/b and DBA/2 mice differ in brain alpha-bungarotoxin binding and alpha 7 nicotinic receptor subunit mRNA levels: a quantitative autoradiographic analysis

Inbred mouse strains vary in sensitivity to a number of behavioral and physiological effects produced by nicotine. Differences in sensitivity to nicotine are correlated with variance in the number of brain nicotinic receptors as measured in regionally dissected brain tissue. The studies reported here used quantitative autoradiography and in-situ hybridization methods to measure regional levels of alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha BTX) binding and alpha 7 mRNA levels. Two inbred mouse strains, ST/b and DBA/2, were compared because these strains differ maximally in sensitivity to nicotine-induced seizures and in alpha BTX binding measured in regional brain homogenates. The binding of alpha BTX was significantly greater in the St/b strain in 42 of 127 brain regions that were analyzed, and a trend towards increased binding was seen in many additional brain regions. The most consistent strain differences were found in hippocampal, thalamic and pontine nuclei. Strain differences in alpha 7 mRNA levels were also detected, but these were not as widespread as were the alpha BTX binding differences. The alpha 7 mRNA levels were significantly correlated with alpha BTX binding in both mouse strains which suggests that the strain differences in binding are related, in part, to the levels of alpha 7 mRNA.     

Synthesis of distillation trains by thermodynamic analysis

Thermodynamic principles, involving mainly: (1) minimum reversible work of separation and (2) second-law analysis that accounts for irreversibility, are used to synthesize separation trains. These principles lead to a development and classification into two groups of many of the heuristics appearing in the literature. An efficient algorithm based on reversible thermodynamics leads to optimal structures for simple acyclic trains. Complex structures are efficiently synthesized by algorithms using reversible thermodynamics and second-law analysis. The procedures presented are depth-first algorithms. The optimal structures developed are shown to be strongly influenced by feed and product compositions.     

N- and O-glycosylation muteins of recombinant human erythropoietin secreted from BHK-21 cells

Single-site glycomuteins of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhuEpo) were constructed and transiently and stably expressed in BHK-21 cells. The transient expression levels varied among muteins, being highest for mutein rhuEpoGln24 followed by wild-type rhuEpo (rhuEpowt). All other glycomuteins, including rhuEpoGln38, rhuEpoGln83, rhuEpoThr126, and rhuEpoGly126, were secreted at lower levels than rhuEpowt. Muteins expressed in stable cell lines showed similar differences in expression levels. Also each mutein could be affinity-purified from culture supernatants, and was biologically active in vivo. Based on secretion rates from BHK-21 cells, the most potent erythropoietin was rhuEpoGln24. This mutein is also considered to have biologic activities that are superior to rhuEpowt.