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François Diederich
François Diederich (9 July 1952 – 23 September 2020) was a Luxembourgish chemist specializing in organic chemistry. Education He obtained both his diploma and PhD (first synthesis of Kekulene) from the University of Heidelberg in 1977 and 1979, respectively. Career and research After postdoctoral studies with Orville L. Chapman at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and habilitation at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg, he became Full Professor of Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry at UCLA in 1989. In 1992 he was appointed Professor of Organic Chemistry at ETH Zurich. He retired on 31 July 2017, and remained a research-active professor at ETH Zurich. On 16 March 2019, the German Chemical Society (Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, GDCh) bestowed him with their highest recognition, Honorary Membership. Diederich died on 23 September 2020 after a battle with cancer. His research interests cover a wide range of topics: * Molecular recognit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ettelbruck
Ettelbruck ( , ) is a Communes of Luxembourg, commune with list of towns in Luxembourg, town status in central Luxembourg, with a population of inhabitants. History Until 1850, both Erpeldange and Schieren were part of the Ettelbruck commune as well, but both towns were detached from Ettelbruck by law on 1 July 1850. Nazi Germany occupied Ettelbruck on 10 May 1940. The town was first liberated by US forces on 11 September 1944, however it was recaptured by Germany on 16 December during the Battle of the Bulge. Ettelbruck was finally liberated nine days later on Christmas, Christmas Day, 25 December 1944 by US troops, led by General George S. Patton. One of Ettelbruck's main squares is named ''Patton Square'', and is located at the spot where the German offensive into Luxembourg's Alzette Valley was stopped, ending its attempt to reoccupy the country as a whole. From 1954 to 2004, the town held a ''Remembrance Day'' celebration each July honoring General Patton and the US, Briti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chemistry
Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, properties, behavior and the changes they undergo during chemical reaction, reactions with other chemical substance, substances. Chemistry also addresses the nature of chemical bonds in chemical compounds. In the scope of its subject, chemistry occupies an intermediate position between physics and biology. It is sometimes called the central science because it provides a foundation for understanding both Basic research, basic and Applied science, applied scientific disciplines at a fundamental level. For example, chemistry explains aspects of plant growth (botany), the formation of igneous rocks (geology), how atmospheric ozone is formed and how environmental pollutants are degraded (ecology), the prop ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carbon
Carbon () is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalence, tetravalent—meaning that its atoms are able to form up to four covalent bonds due to its valence shell exhibiting 4 electrons. It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table. Carbon makes up about 0.025 percent of Earth's crust. Three Isotopes of carbon, isotopes occur naturally, carbon-12, C and carbon-13, C being stable, while carbon-14, C is a radionuclide, decaying with a half-life of 5,700 years. Carbon is one of the timeline of chemical element discoveries#Pre-modern and early modern discoveries, few elements known since antiquity. Carbon is the 15th abundance of elements in Earth's crust, most abundant element in the Earth's crust, and the abundance of the chemical elements, fourth most abundant element in the universe by mass after hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. Carbon's abundance, its unique diversity of organic compounds, and its unusual abi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
African Trypanosomiasis
African trypanosomiasis is an insect-borne parasitic infection of humans and other animals. Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as African sleeping sickness or simply sleeping sickness, is caused by the species ''Trypanosoma brucei''. Humans are infected by two types, ''Trypanosoma brucei gambiense'' (TbG) and ''Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense'' (TbR). TbG causes over 92% of reported cases. Both are usually transmitted by the bite of an infected tsetse fly and are most common in rural areas. Initially, the first stage of the disease is characterized by fevers, headaches, itchiness, and joint pains, beginning one to three weeks after the bite. Weeks to months later, the second stage begins with confusion, poor coordination, numbness, and trouble sleeping. Diagnosis involves detecting the parasite in a blood smear or lymph node fluid. A lumbar puncture is often needed to tell the difference between first- and second-stage disease. Prevention of severe disease in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trypanothione
Trypanothione is an unusual form of glutathione containing two molecules of glutathione joined by a spermidine (polyamine) linker. It is found in parasitic protozoa such as leishmania and trypanosomes. These protozoal parasites are the cause of leishmaniasis, sleeping sickness and Chagas' disease. Trypanothione was discovered by Alan Fairlamb. Its structure was proven by chemical synthesis. It is present mainly in the Kinetoplastida but can be found in other parasitic protozoa such as ''Entamoeba histolytica''. Since this thiol is absent from humans and is essential for the survival of the parasites, the enzymes that make and use this molecule are targets for the development of new drugs to treat these diseases. Trypanothione-dependent enzymes include reductases, peroxidases, glyoxalases and transferases. Trypanothione-disulfide reductase (TryR) was the first trypanothione-dependent enzyme to be discoveredEC 1.8.1.12. It is an NADPH-dependent flavoenzyme that reduces trypanothi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shigellosis
Shigellosis, known historically as dysentery, is an infection of the intestines caused by ''Shigella'' bacteria. Symptoms generally start one to two days after exposure and include diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, and feeling the need to pass stools even when the bowels are empty. The diarrhea may be bloody. Symptoms typically last five to seven days and it may take several months before bowel habits return entirely to normal. Complications can include reactive arthritis, sepsis, seizures, and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Shigellosis is caused by four specific types of ''Shigella''. These are typically spread by exposure to infected feces. This can occur via contaminated food, water, or hands or sexual contact. Contamination may be spread by flies or when changing diapers (nappies). Diagnosis is by stool culture. The risk of infection can be reduced by properly washing the hands. There is no vaccine. Shigellosis usually resolves without specific treatment. Rest, and suffic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Malaria
Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, Epileptic seizure, seizures, coma, or death. Symptoms usually begin 10 to 15 days after being bitten by an infected ''Anopheles'' mosquito. If not properly treated, people may have recurrences of the disease months later. In those who have recently survived an infection, reinfection usually causes milder symptoms. This partial Immunity (medical), resistance disappears over months to years if the person has no continuing exposure to malaria. The mosquitoes themselves are harmed by malaria, causing reduced lifespans in those infected by it. Malaria is caused by protozoa, single-celled microorganisms of the genus ''Plasmodium''. It is spread exclusively through bites of infected female ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isoprenoid
The terpenoids, also known as isoprenoids, are a class of naturally occurring organic chemicals derived from the 5-carbon compound isoprene and its derivatives called terpenes, diterpenes, etc. While sometimes used interchangeably with "terpenes", terpenoids contain additional functional groups, usually containing oxygen. When combined with the hydrocarbon terpenes, terpenoids comprise about 80,000 compounds. They are the largest class of plant secondary metabolites, representing about 60% of known natural products. Many terpenoids have substantial pharmacological bioactivity and are therefore of interest to medicinal chemists. Plant terpenoids are used for their aromatic qualities and play a role in traditional herbal remedies. Terpenoids contribute to the scent of eucalyptus, the flavors of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, the yellow color in sunflowers, and the red color in tomatoes. Well-known terpenoids include citral, menthol, camphor, salvinorin A in the plant '' S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Non-mevalonate Pathway
The non-mevalonate pathway—also appearing as the mevalonate-independent pathway and the 2-''C''-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate/1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate (MEP/DOXP) pathway—is an alternative metabolic pathway for the biosynthesis of the isoprenoid precursors isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP). The currently preferred name for this pathway is the MEP pathway, since MEP is the first committed metabolite on the route to IPP. Isoprenoid precursor biosynthesis The mevalonate pathway (MVA pathway or HMG-CoA reductase pathway) and the MEP pathway are metabolic pathways for the biosynthesis of isoprenoid precursors: IPP and DMAPP. Whereas plants use both MVA and MEP pathway, most organisms only use one of the pathways for the biosynthesis of isoprenoid precursors. In plant cells IPP/DMAPP biosynthesis via the MEP pathway takes place in plastid organelles, while the biosynthesis via the MVA pathway takes place in the cytoplasm. Most gram-nega ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Plasmepsin
Plasmepsins are a class of at least 10 enzymes ( and ) produced by the ''Plasmodium falciparum'' parasite. There are ten different isoforms of these proteins and ten genes coding them respectively in ''Plasmodium'' (Plm I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, IX, X and HAP). It has been suggested that the plasmepsin family is smaller in other human ''Plasmodium'' species. Expression of Plm I, II, IV, V, IX, X and HAP occurs in the erythrocytic cycle, and expression of Plm VI, VII, VIII, occurs in the exoerythrocytic cycle. Through their haemoglobin-degrading activity, they are an important cause of symptoms in malaria sufferers. Consequently, this family of enzymes is a potential target for antimalarial drugs. Plasmepsins are aspartic acid proteases, meaning their active site contains two aspartic acid residues. These two aspartic acid residue act respectively as proton donor and proton acceptor, catalysing the hydrolysis of peptide bond in proteins. There are four types of plasmepsins, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Enzyme Inhibitor
An enzyme inhibitor is a molecule that binds to an enzyme and blocks its Enzyme activity, activity. Enzymes are proteins that speed up chemical reactions necessary for life, in which Substrate (biochemistry), substrate molecules are converted into Product (chemistry), products. An enzyme Enzyme catalysis, facilitates a specific chemical reaction by binding the substrate to its active site, a specialized area on the enzyme that accelerates the Rate-determining step, most difficult step of the reaction. An enzyme inhibitor stops ("inhibits") this process, either by binding to the enzyme's active site (thus preventing the substrate itself from binding) or by binding to another site on the enzyme such that the enzyme's catalysis of the reaction is blocked. Enzyme inhibitors may bind Reversible reaction, reversibly or irreversibly. Irreversible inhibitors form a Covalent bond, chemical bond with the enzyme such that the enzyme is inhibited until the chemical bond is broken. By cont ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Drug Design
Drug design, often referred to as rational drug design or simply rational design, is the invention, inventive process of finding new medications based on the knowledge of a biological target. The drug is most commonly an organic compound, organic small molecule that activates or inhibits the function of a biomolecule such as a protein, which in turn results in a therapeutic effect, therapeutic benefit to the patient. In the most basic sense, drug design involves the design of molecules that are complementary in shape and electric charge, charge to the biomolecular target with which they interact and therefore will bind to it. Drug design frequently but not necessarily relies on molecular modelling, computer modeling techniques. This type of modeling is sometimes referred to as computer-aided drug design. Finally, drug design that relies on the knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of the biomolecular target is known as structure-based drug design. In addition to small molec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
