The first example of direct oxidation of sulfides to sulfones by an osmate molecular oxygen system

Osmate-exchanged Mg-Al layered double hydroxides catalysed the delivery of two oxygen atoms simultaneously via a 3 + 1 cycloaddition to sulfide to form sulfone directly for the first time, reminiscent of 3 + 2 cycloaddition in asymmetric dihydroxylation reactions

Isolation and characterization of a novel lepidopteran-selective toxin from the venom of South Indian red scorpion, Mesobuthus tamulus

BACKGROUND: Scorpion venom contains insect and mammal selective toxins. We investigated the venom of the South Indian red scorpion, Mesobuthus tamulus for the purpose of identifying potent insecticidal peptide toxins. RESULTS: A lepidopteran-selective toxin (Buthus tamulus insect toxin; ButaIT) has been isolated from this venom. The primary structure analysis reveals that it is a single polypeptide composed of 37 amino acids cross-linked by four disulfide bridges with high sequence homology to other short toxins such as Peptide I, neurotoxin P2, Lqh-8/6, chlorotoxin, insectotoxin I5A, insect toxin 15 and insectotoxin I1. Three dimensional modeling using Swiss automated protein modeling server reveals that this toxin contains a short α-helix and three antiparallel β-strands, similar to other short scorpion toxins. This toxin is selectively active on Heliothis virescens causing flaccid paralysis but was non-toxic to blowfly larvae and mice. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of a Heliothine selective peptide toxin. Identification of diverse insect selective toxins offer advantages in employing these peptides selectively for pest control

Hydrotalcite-like compounds for liquid-phase oxidation of benzylic hydrocarbons

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Polar Cremona Transformations and Monodromy of Polynomials

Consider the gradient map associated to any non-constant homogeneous polynomial f\in \C[x_0,...,x_n] of degree $d$, defined by \phi_f=grad(f): D(f)\to \CP^n, (x_0:...:x_n)\to (f_0(x):...:f_n(x)) where D(f)=\{x\in \CP^n; f(x)\neq 0\} is the principal open set associated to $f$ and $f_i=\frac{\partial f}{\partial x_i}$. This map corresponds to polar Cremona transformations. In Proposition \ref{p1} we give a new lower bound for the degree $d(f)$ of $\phi_f$ under the assumption that the projective hypersurface $V:f=0$ has only isolated singularities. When $d(f)=1$, Theorem \ref{t4} yields very strong conditions on the singularities of $V$.Comment: 8 page

Chapare mammarenavirus - a new deadly virus outbreak: a review

In 2003 an emerging mammarenavirus (formerly arenaviruses) was discovered in Bolivia and named Chapare (CHAPV). It was related to severe and fatal haemorrhagic fever, being similar in clinical features to Machupo (MACV). In mid-2019, CHAPV was the explanation for a cluster of 5 cases, two of them laboratory confirmed, three of them fatal. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and subsequent analysis of the entire virus S and L ribonucleic acid (RNA) segment sequences identified the virus as a member of the New World Clade B arenaviruses, which includes all the pathogenic South American arenaviruses. The virus was shown to be most closely associated with Sabia´ virus, but with 26% and 30% nucleotide difference within the S and L segments, and 26%, 28%, 15% and 22% aminoalkanoic acid differences for the L, Z, N, and GP proteins. LUJV, CHAPV, GTOV, and SABV, which are geographically restricted, have been associated with only a few to a few dozen cases. They are, therefore, relatively unimportant to clinicians compared to many other viruses that are usually co-endemic. However, MACV, JUNV, and especially LASV have caused large outbreaks (LASV has caused hundreds of thousands of infections per year). Visitors to countries in which these viruses are endemic, or war-fighters that are deployed to these countries, need to be aware of how to prevent and suspect a mammarenavirus infection

(2E)-1-(5-Chloro­thio­phen-2-yl)-3-(2,3-dimeth­oxy­phen­yl)prop-2-en-1-one

In the title compound, C15H13ClO3S, the chloro­thio­phene and dimeth­oxy­phenyl groups are linked by a prop-2-en-1-one group. The C=C double bond exhibits an E conformation. The mol­ecule is non-planar, with a dihedral angle of 31.12 (5)° between the chloro­thio­phene and dimeth­oxy­phenyl rings. The meth­oxy group at position 3 is coplanar with the benzene ring to which it is attached, with a C—O—C—C torsion angle of −3.8 (3)°. The meth­oxy group attached at position 2 of the benzene ring is in a (+)synclinal conformation, as indicated by the C—O—C—C torsion angle of −73.6 (2)°. In the crystal, two different C—H⋯O inter­molecular inter­actions generate chains of mol­ecules extending along the b axis

Sample matching by inferred agonal stress in gene expression analyses of the brain

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gene expression patterns in the brain are strongly influenced by the severity and duration of physiological stress at the time of death. This agonal effect, if not well controlled, can lead to spurious findings and diminished statistical power in case-control comparisons. While some recent studies match samples by tissue pH and clinically recorded agonal conditions, we found that these indicators were sometimes at odds with observed stress-related gene expression patterns, and that matching by these criteria still sometimes results in identifying case-control differences that are primarily driven by residual agonal effects. This problem is analogous to the one encountered in genetic association studies, where self-reported race and ethnicity are often imprecise proxies for an individual's actual genetic ancestry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We developed an Agonal Stress Rating (ASR) system that evaluates each sample's degree of stress based on gene expression data, and used ASRs in <it>post hoc </it>sample matching or covariate analysis. While gene expression patterns are generally correlated across different brain regions, we found strong region-region differences in empirical ASRs in many subjects that likely reflect inter-individual variabilities in local structure or function, resulting in region-specific vulnerability to agonal stress.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Variation of agonal stress across different brain regions differs between individuals, revealing a new level of complexity for gene expression studies of brain tissues. The Agonal Stress Ratings quantitatively assess each sample's extent of regulatory response to agonal stress, and allow a strong control of this important confounder.</p

Expression of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Capsid Proteins in Silkworm-Baculovirus Expression System and Its Utilization as a Subunit Vaccine

Background: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease of livestock that causes severe economic loss in susceptible cloven-hoofed animals. Although the traditional inactivated vaccine has been proved effective, it may lead to a new outbreak of FMD because of either incomplete inactivation of FMDV or the escape of live virus from vaccine production workshop. Thus, it is urgent to develop a novel FMDV vaccine that is safer, more effective and more economical than traditional vaccines. Methodology and Principal Findings: A recombinant silkworm baculovirus Bm-P12A3C which contained the intact P1-2A and 3C protease coding regions of FMDV Asia 1/HNK/CHA/05 was developed. Indirect immunofluorescence test and sandwich-ELISA were used to verify that Bm-P12A3C could express the target cassette. Expression products from silkworm were diluted to 30 folds and used as antigen to immunize cattle. Specific antibody was induced in all vaccinated animals. After challenge with virulent homologous virus, four of the five animals were completely protected, and clinical symptoms were alleviated and delayed in the remaining one. Furthermore, a PD50 (50 % bovine protective dose) test was performed to assess the bovine potency of the subunit vaccine. The result showed the subunit vaccine could achieve 6.34 PD50 per dose