77 research outputs found
Three-photon detachment of electrons from the fluorine negative ion
Absolute three-photon detachment cross sections are calculated for the
fluorine negative ion within the lowest-order perturbation theory. The Dyson
equation of the atomic many-body theory is used to obtain the ground-state 2p
wavefunction with correct asymptotic behaviour, corresponding to the true
(experimental) binding energy. We show that in accordance with the adiabatic
theory (Gribakin and Kuchiev 1997 {Phys. Rev. A} {\bf 55} 3760) this is crucial
for obtaining absolute values of the multiphoton cross sections. Comparisons
with other calculations and experimental data are presented.Comment: 10 pages, two figures, Latex, IOP styl
Multiphoton detachment of electrons from negative ions
A simple analytical solution for the problem of multiphoton detachment from
negative ions by a linearly polarized laser field is found. It is valid in the
wide range of intensities and frequencies of the field, from the perturbation
theory to the tunneling regime, and is applicable to the excess-photon as well
as near-threshold detachment. Practically, the formulae are valid when the
number of photons is greater than two. They produce the total detachment rates,
relative intensities of the excess-photon peaks, and photoelectron angular
distributions for the hydrogen and halogen negative ions, in agreement with
those obtained in other, more numerically involved calculations in both
perturbative and non-perturbative regimes. Our approach explains the extreme
sensitivity of the multiphoton detachment probability to the asymptotic
behaviour of the bound-state wave function. Rapid oscillations in the angular
dependence of the -photon detachment probability are shown to arise due to
interference of the two classical trajectories which lead to the same final
state after the electron emerges at the opposite sides of the atom when the
field is close to maximal.Comment: 27 pages, Latex, and PostScript figures fig1.ps, fig2.ps, fig3.ps,
accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
A diarylamine derived from anthranilic acid inhibits ZIKV replication
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted Flavivirus, originally identified in Uganda in 1947 and recently associated with a large outbreak in South America. Despite extensive efforts there are currently no approved antiviral compounds for treatment of ZIKV infection. Here we describe the antiviral activity of diarylamines derived from anthranilic acid (FAMs) against ZIKV. A synthetic FAM (E3) demonstrated anti-ZIKV potential by reducing viral replication up to 86%. We analyzed the possible mechanisms of action of FAM E3 by evaluating the intercalation of this compound into the viral dsRNA and its interaction with the RNA polymerase of bacteriophage SP6. However, FAM E3 did not act by these mechanisms. In silico results predicted that FAM E3 might bind to the ZIKV NS3 helicase suggesting that this protein could be one possible target of this compound. To test this, the thermal stability and the ATPase activity of the ZIKV NS3 helicase domain (NS3Hel) were investigated in vitro and we demonstrated that FAM E3 could indeed bind to and stabilize NS3Hel
Six RNA Viruses and Forty-One Hosts: Viral Small RNAs and Modulation of Small RNA Repertoires in Vertebrate and Invertebrate Systems
We have used multiplexed high-throughput sequencing to characterize changes in small RNA populations that occur during viral infection in animal cells. Small RNA-based mechanisms such as RNA interference (RNAi) have been shown in plant and invertebrate systems to play a key role in host responses to viral infection. Although homologs of the key RNAi effector pathways are present in mammalian cells, and can launch an RNAi-mediated degradation of experimentally targeted mRNAs, any role for such responses in mammalian host-virus interactions remains to be characterized. Six different viruses were examined in 41 experimentally susceptible and resistant host systems. We identified virus-derived small RNAs (vsRNAs) from all six viruses, with total abundance varying from “vanishingly rare” (less than 0.1% of cellular small RNA) to highly abundant (comparable to abundant micro-RNAs “miRNAs”). In addition to the appearance of vsRNAs during infection, we saw a number of specific changes in host miRNA profiles. For several infection models investigated in more detail, the RNAi and Interferon pathways modulated the abundance of vsRNAs. We also found evidence for populations of vsRNAs that exist as duplexed siRNAs with zero to three nucleotide 3′ overhangs. Using populations of cells carrying a Hepatitis C replicon, we observed strand-selective loading of siRNAs onto Argonaute complexes. These experiments define vsRNAs as one possible component of the interplay between animal viruses and their hosts
Illustrating and homology modeling the proteins of the Zika virus
The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus of the family Flaviviridae, which is similar to dengue virus, yellow fever and West Nile virus. Recent outbreaks in South America, Latin America, the Caribbean and in particular Brazil have led to concern for the spread of the disease and potential to cause Guillain-Barré syndrome and microcephaly. Although ZIKV has been known of for over 60 years there is very little in the way of knowledge of the virus with few publications and no crystal structures. No antivirals have been tested against it either in vitro or in vivo. ZIKV therefore epitomizes a neglected disease. Several suggested steps have been proposed which could be taken to initiate ZIKV antiviral drug discovery using both high throughput screens as well as structure-based design based on homology models for the key proteins. We now describe preliminary homology models created for NS5, FtsJ, NS4B, NS4A, HELICc, DEXDc, peptidase S7, NS2B, NS2A, NS1, E stem, glycoprotein M, propeptide, capsid and glycoprotein E using SWISS-MODEL. Eleven out of 15 models pass our model quality criteria for their further use. While a ZIKV glycoprotein E homology model was initially described in the immature conformation as a trimer, we now describe the mature dimer conformer which allowed the construction of an illustration of the complete virion. By comparing illustrations of ZIKV based on this new homology model and the dengue virus crystal structure we propose potential differences that could be exploited for antiviral and vaccine design. The prediction of sites for glycosylation on this protein may also be useful in this regard. While we await a cryo-EM structure of ZIKV and eventual crystal structures of the individual proteins, these homology models provide the community with a starting point for structure-based design of drugs and vaccines as well as a for computational virtual screening
- …