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SARS-CoV-2 infection is mediated by the binding of its spike protein to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which plays a pivotal role in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). The study of RAS dysregulation due to SARS-CoV-2 infection is fundamentally important for a better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms and risk factors associated with COVID-19 coronavirus disease and to design effective therapeutic strategies. In this context, we developed a mathematical model of RAS based on data regarding protein and peptide concentrations; the model was tested on clinical data from healthy normotensive and hypertensive individuals. We used our model to analyze the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on RAS, which we modeled through a downregulation of ACE2 as a function of viral load. We also used it to predict the effect of RAS-targeting drugs, such as RAS-blockers, human recombinant ACE2, and angiotensin 1-7 peptide, on COVID-19 patients; the model predicted an improvement of the clinical outcome for some drugs and a worsening for others. Our model and its predictions constitute a valuable framework for in silico testing of hypotheses about the COVID-19 pathogenic mechanisms and the effect of drugs aiming to restore RAS functionality.The building blocks of life, amino acids, are believed to have been synthesized in the extreme conditions that prevail in space, starting from simple molecules containing hydrogen, carbon, oxygen and nitrogen. However, the fate and role of amino acids when they are subjected to similar processes largely remain unexplored. Here we report, for the first time, that shock processed amino acids tend to form complex agglomerate structures. Such structures are formed on timescales of about 2 ms due to impact induced shock heating and subsequent cooling. This discovery suggests that the building blocks of life could have self-assembled not just on Earth but on other planetary bodies as a result of impact events. Our study also provides further experimental evidence for the 'threads' observed in meteorites being due to assemblages of (bio)molecules arising from impact-induced shocks.Fruit set is the earliest phase of fruit growth and represents the onset of ovary growth after successful fertilization. In parthenocarpy, fruit formation is less affected by environmental factors because it occurs in the absence of pollination and fertilization, making parthenocarpy a highly desired agronomic trait. Elucidating the genetic program controlling parthenocarpy, and more generally fruit set, may have important implications in agriculture, considering the need for crops to be adaptable to climate changes. Several phytohormones play an important role in the transition from flower to fruit. Further complexity emerges from functional analysis of floral homeotic genes. Some homeotic MADS-box genes are implicated in fruit growth and development, displaying an expression pattern commonly observed for ovary growth repressors. Here, we provide an overview of recent discoveries on the molecular regulatory gene network underlying fruit set in tomato, the model organism for fleshy fruit development due to the many genetic and genomic resources available. We describe how the genetic modification of components of this network can cause parthenocarpy, discussing the contribution of hormonal signals and MADS-box transcription factors.The selectivity of encapsulation of leflunomide and teriflunomide by native α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins was investigated through 1H NMR and molecular modeling. [https://www.selleckchem.com/products/apocynin-acetovanillone.html Apocynin in vivo] Thermodynamic analysis revealed the main driving forces involved in the binding. For α-cyclodextrin, the partial encapsulation was obtained while deep penetration was characterized for the other two cyclodextrins, where the remaining polar fragment of the molecule is located outside the macrocyclic cavity. The interactions via hydrogen bonding are responsible for high negative enthalpy and entropy changes accompanying the complexation of cyclodextrins with teriflunomide. These results were in agreement with the molecular modeling calculations, which provide a clearer picture of the involved interactions at the atomic level.Three different crystallographic orientations of the wurtzite ZnO structure (labeled as c-plane, a-plane and m-plane) were implanted with Au+ ions using various energies and fluences to form gold nanoparticles (GNPs). The ion implantation process was followed by annealing at 600 °C in an oxygen atmosphere to decrease the number of unwanted defects and improve luminescence properties. With regard to our previous publications, the paper provides a summary of theoretical and experimental results, i.e., both DFT and FLUX simulations, as well as experimental results from TEM, HRTEM, RBS, RBS/C, Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence. From the results, it follows that in the ZnO structure, implanted gold atoms are located in random interstitial positions -experimentally, the amount of interstitial gold atoms increased with increasing ion implantation fluence. During ion implantation and subsequent annealing, the metal clusters and nanoparticles with sizes from 2 to 20 nm were formed. The crystal structure of the resulting gold was not cubic (confirmed by diffraction patterns), but it had a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) arrangement. The ion implantation of gold leads to the creation of Zn and O interstitial defects and extended defects with distinct character in various crystallographic cuts of ZnO, where significant O-sublattice disordering occurred in m-plane ZnO.Dredged soils have been used as construction materials by alkaline activation with steel slag (steel slag-dredged soil mixtures) at harbors. Such mixtures develop strength chiefly by calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) formation by the pozzolanic reaction. However, the strength of such mixtures is unpredictable, and in some cases, mixtures have been too soft for the intended engineering application. An identification of strength development indicators would accelerate evaluation processes for strength development to facilitate and promote the utilization of such materials. This paper focuses on the relationship between the characteristics of soil organic matters in dredged soils and the strength development of the mixtures by a comparison of eight dredged soils collected from eight different Japanese harbors. The characteristics of the soil organic matters were identified to determine as indicators of mixtures with weak strength development, i.e., enriched sulfur content in extracted soil organic matter (humic acid) fraction, and the N/C ratio of humic acid similar to land humic acid standards.