Structural characterization of a human Fc fragment engineered for lack of effector functions

Human Fc fragments containing the L234F/L235E/P331S triple mutation exhibit a dramatic decrease in their binding to several effector molecules (CD64, CD32A, CD16 and C1q). The three-dimensional structure of such a mutated fragment reveals that these broad-ranging functional effects are not caused by major structural rearrangements in the Fc moiety

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the complex between a human anti-interferon antibody fragment and human interferon α-2A

Crystals of the complex between the Fab fragment of a human anti-interferon α therapeutic antibody and human interferon α-2A have been obtained and diffracted to 3.0 Å resolution

A threshold phenomenon for embeddings of H0mH^m_0 into Orlicz spaces

We consider a sequence of positive smooth critical points of the Adams-Moser-Trudinger embedding of $H^m_0$ into Orlicz spaces. We study its concentration-compactness behavior and show that if the sequence is not precompact, then the liminf of the $H^m_0$-norms of the functions is greater than or equal to a positive geometric constant.Comment: 14 Page

Polyyne Hybrid Compounds from Notopterygium incisum with Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Agonistic Effects

[Image: see text] In the search for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) active constituents from the roots and rhizomes of Notopterygium incisum, 11 new polyacetylene derivatives (1–11) were isolated. Their structures were elucidated by NMR and HRESIMS as new polyyne hybrid molecules of falcarindiol with sesquiterpenoid or phenylpropanoid moieties, named notoethers A–H (1–8) and notoincisols A–C (9–11), respectively. Notoincisol B (10) and notoincisol C (11) represent two new carbon skeletons. When tested for PPARγ activation in a luciferase reporter assay with HEK-293 cells, notoethers A–C (1–3), notoincisol A (9), and notoincisol B (10) showed promising agonistic activity (EC(50) values of 1.7 to 2.3 μM). In addition, notoincisol A (9) exhibited inhibitory activity on NO production of stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages

Influence of the operating conditions on the catalytic activity of [PdCl2(dapp)] in the CO–ethene copolymerization in the H2O–CH3COOH as a solvent (dapp = 1,3-bis(di(2-methoxyphenyl) phosphino)propane)

The influence on the productivity of [PdCl2(dapp)] in H 2O-CH3COOH in the CO-ethene copolymerization and on the LVN of the copolymer of the following reaction parameters has been studied: (i) composition of the H2O-CH3COOH reaction medium; (ii) temperature; (iii) CO/ethene ratio at a given total pressure; (iv) total pressure at fixed ratio CO/ethene = 1/1; (v) CO or ethene partial pressure at a given pressure of one monomer; (vi) reaction time. High molecular weight PKs are obtained under high pressure with the monomers in the ratio 1/1 at relatively low temperature and with a H2O/CH3COOH 40-50% with productivity ranging from 4 to 20 kg PK(g Pd h)-1. The relation between productivity and LVN has been discussed in the light of the key steps of the catalytic cycle

Preliminary evaluation of Quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) fruit as extraction source of antioxidant phytoconstituents for nutraceutical and functional food applications

Background Quince (Cydonia oblonga) fruits can be considered as starting material for the extraction of health-promoting phytochemicals, to be exploited in food and nutraceuticals. In the present work, LC-DAD-MSn analysis allowed to study the phytochemical composition of quince fruits and to compare it with those of six commercial apple varieties. Results Distribution and quantification of secondary metabolites in peel and pulp was studied and compared with six commercial apple varieties. Furthermore the in vitro antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH assay. Quince fruit showed significant amounts of shikimic and quinic acid derivatives, as well as flavonoids and procyanidins. Compared with apple, quince composition is charachterized by the presence of 4-caffeoylshikimic acid, 4-caffeoyl quinic acid, quercetin-3,7-diglucoside, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside and kaempferol-7-O-glucoside, while the dihydrochalcones are not detectable. Considering fruit parts,3-O-Caffeoylquinic acid is the most abundant compound both in peels and the pulp. Pearson correlation index indicated a positive relationships between the amount of phenolic constituents and the radical scavenging activity toward DPPH• both for peels and pulps extracts. Conclusions This study highlighted the presence of significant amounts of valuable secondary metabolites in quince and in particular procyanidins and caffeoyl esters with shikimic and quinic acid. Notably, due to the higher content in phenolic compounds and the stronger antioxidant capacity compared to the other considered fruits, the use of C. oblonga as source of antioxidant can be valuable in nutraceuticals , showing new possible applications of quince fruit