Integrated optimal design of control system of smart structures using genetic algorithms

The main objective of this study is to develop an integrated optimization system based on GAs for the optimal design of control system of smart structures, which includes the placement and size of piezoelectric patches, as well as the feedback control gains.Doctor of Philosophy (CEE

Dracocephalum moldavica L. Extracts Protect H9c2 Cardiomyocytes against H2O2-Induced Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress

Background and Objectives. Dracocephalum moldavica L. is an herbal medicine used to treat cardiovascular diseases in China. The purpose of this study was to assess the cardioprotective effect of D. moldavica L. extracts against H2O2-induced apoptosis and oxidative stress in H9c2 cells and to explore the mechanism behind this effect. Materials and Methods. The petroleum ether (petrol), dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and n-butyl alcohol (n-BuOH) fractions were isolated from alcohol extracts of D. moldavica L. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents and in vitro antioxidant activities of different fractions were evaluated. H9c2 cells were then treated with D. moldavica L. extracts before challenging with H2O2. Cell viability was determined by colorimetric assay, and ELISA was used to measure the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Apoptosis levels and mitochondrial membrane potential were measured by flow cytometry. The expressions of cell apoptosis regulatory proteins caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2 were determined by western blotting. Results. Our results demonstrated that the EtOAc fraction from D. moldavica L. ethanol extract, which is rich in phenolic and flavonoid active constituents, had the strongest free radical scavenging activity. Additionally, this fraction increased H2O2-induced reduction in cell viability, SOD activity, and mitochondrial membrane potential. It also reduced H2O2-induced elevation in ROS production, contents of LDH and MDA, and H9c2 apoptosis. We further found that the EtOAc fraction increased Bcl-2 expression, while it decreased caspase-3 and Bax expressions induced by H2O2 in H9c2 cells. Conclusions. Our data revealed that the EtOAc fraction from D. moldavica L. ethanol extract ameliorates H2O2-induced cardiotoxicity via antiapoptotic and antioxidant mechanisms

pharmacological actions of multi-target-directed evodiamine

molecule

Toll-like receptor 7 agonists: chemical feature based pharmacophore identification and molecular docking studies.

Chemical feature based pharmacophore models were generated for Toll-like receptors 7 (TLR7) agonists using HypoGen algorithm, which is implemented in the Discovery Studio software. Several methods tools used in validation of pharmacophore model were presented. The first hypothesis Hypo1 was considered to be the best pharmacophore model, which consists of four features: one hydrogen bond acceptor, one hydrogen bond donor, and two hydrophobic features. In addition, homology modeling and molecular docking studies were employed to probe the intermolecular interactions between TLR7 and its agonists. The results further confirmed the reliability of the pharmacophore model. The obtained pharmacophore model (Hypo1) was then employed as a query to screen the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database (TCMD) for other potential lead compounds. One hit was identified as a potent TLR7 agonist, which has antiviral activity against hepatitis virus in vitro. Therefore, our current work provides confidence for the utility of the selected chemical feature based pharmacophore model to design novel TLR7 agonists with desired biological activity

Genesis and Accumulation Period of CO₂ Gas Reservoir in Hailar Basin

Gas reservoirs with high CO2 have been found in several wells in the Hailar Basin. In this paper, a composition analysis, stable carbon isotope analysis, and a rare gas helium isotope 3He/4He and argon isotope 40Ar/36Ar analysis were carried out. These comprehensive analyses show that the CO2 in the Hailar Basin is inorganic-origin gas, which generally has the characteristics of crust–mantle-mixed CO2, and the fraction of helium of mantle source can reach 15.12~18.76%. There are various types of CO2 gas reservoirs. CO2 gas mainly comes from deep crust. The distribution of gas reservoirs is mainly controlled by deep faults and volcanic rocks, as well as by reservoir properties and preservation conditions. Magmatic rocks provide gas source conditions for the formation of inorganic CO2 reservoirs. Deep–large faults provide the main migration channels for CO2 gas. The sandy conglomerate and bedrock weathering crust of the Nantun Formation and the Tongbomiao Formation provide favorable reservoir spaces for the formation of CO2 gas reservoirs. The combination of volcanic rock mass and deep–large faults creates a favorable area for CO2 gas accumulation. The age of magmatic intrusion and the homogenization temperature of oil–gas inclusions in Dawsonite-bearing sandstone indicate that 120 Ma in the Early Cretaceous was the initial gas generation period of the CO2 reservoir and that oil and gas were injected into the reservoir in large quantities in 122~88 Ma. This period is the peak period of magmatic activity in Northeast China, as well as when the crust of Northeast China greatly changed. A large-scale CO2 injection period occurred in 100~80 Ma, slightly later than the large-scale injection period of the oil and gas. Since the Cenozoic, the structure has been reversed, and the gas reservoir has been adjusted

Docking conformations of human TLR7-LBD homodimer model bound compound 1 in the training set.

<p>Conformations of compound 1 are color-coded (pose1, orange;pose2, blue).</p

The difference in costs between the HypoGen runs and Fischer's randomization runs.

<p>The 98% confidence level was selected.</p