expe MandM unveils interactive Live Shopping experience on Facebook and Instagram By www.retailtechnologyreview.com Published On :: MandM, the online retailer specialising in discounted fashion, sports and outdoor brands, has launched the first of a series of live shopping events on Facebook and Instagram in collaboration with Sprii. Full Article Digital Signage Internet Retailing Retail Supply Chain
expe Linnworks partners with Loop to streamline post-purchase experience for retailers By www.retailtechnologyreview.com Published On :: Linnworks, provider of inventory, order and warehouse management solutions for ecommerce retailers, has announced its new integration with Loop, a post-purchase platform designed to optimise returns, exchanges and reverse logistics. Full Article Internet Retailing Retail Supply Chain
expe Uswitch broadband experts unveil the reality of online security habits By www.retailtechnologyreview.com Published On :: In recognition of Cyber Security Awareness Month, Uswitch Broadband experts set out to explore how well people are protecting themselves online. The survey uncovered common mistakes that leave people vulnerable to cyber risks, along with actionable tips on how to safeguard personal information. Full Article Surveillance and Security Critical Issues
expe PacSun elevates shopping experience with Manhattan Active Point of Sale By www.retailtechnologyreview.com Published On :: Manhattan Associates Inc has announced that PacSun, the specialty retailer of emerging youth brands and trending fashion, has selected Manhattan Active Point of Sale to enhance its omnichannel sales strategy and deliver a seamless, unified customer shopping experience. Full Article EPoS Systems
expe Divido bolsters merchant capabilities to supercharge checkout finance experience ahead of the Golden Quarter By www.retailtechnologyreview.com Published On :: Checkout finance provider, Divido, has launched two new product capabilities ‘Divido Analytics’ and ‘Split Capability’, allowing merchants to have greater understanding and flexibility over their checkout finance experience. Full Article EPoS Systems Data Capture
expe Retailers seek adaptable POS software to enhance customer experience By www.retailtechnologyreview.com Published On :: The number of POS software installations at major retail and hospitality operators worldwide surpassed 9 million as of June 2023, according to a new study from strategic research and consulting firm RBR Data Services, a division of Datos Insights. Full Article EPoS Systems Critical Issues
expe Manhattan Active Point of Sale unveils the next generation of store associate experience By www.retailtechnologyreview.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 4897 17:05:48 +0000 Manhattan Associates Inc. has announced significant enhancements to its Manhattan Active Point of Sale (POS) application designed to meet the dynamic needs of modern store associates. Full Article EPoS Systems Retail Supply Chain
expe Integrating Advanced Software Solutions in Retail for Enhanced Customer Experience By www.retailtechnologyreview.com Published On :: By Jeremy Landau, freelance writer.Retail's dynamic environment is seeing a real shift, driven by the integration of advanced software solutions. This goes beyond a mere technological upgrade – it's about completely transforming the customer experience. Full Article EPoS Systems Internet Retailing Retail Supply Chain
expe The Rise of Omnichannel Retail: Revolutionizing the Point-of-Sale Experience with AI By www.retailtechnologyreview.com Published On :: By Ryan Edwards, freelance writer.Omnichannel is one of the most effective retail strategies for engaging customers, driving sales, and building lasting relationships. A way to strengthen this game-changing approach is the revolutionary power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Full Article EPoS Systems Internet Retailing Retail Supply Chain
expe Data Fabric in Retail: The Go-To Solution to Boost Customer Experience and Personalization By www.retailtechnologyreview.com Published On :: By Jack Pollard, freelance writer.Retail is one of the most competitive landscapes out there today. Consumption is at an all-time high, but the cost of living crisis means that brands need to fight harder than ever to convince consumers that their products are what they need. Full Article Data Capture EPoS Systems Internet Retailing
expe Amsterdam’s Johan Cruijff ArenA partners with Security & Safety Things to enhance fan experience, health and safety By www.retailtechnologyreview.com Published On :: Security and Safety Things GmbH has entered into a partnership with the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam to deploy its IoT platform for smart surveillance cameras to enhance overall fan experience, optimize ArenA operations and increase visitor security and privacy. Full Article Kiosk Technology Surveillance and Security
expe Smidt Heart Institute Experts Will Give Key Presentations at AHA Scientific Sessions 2024 By www.newswise.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:40:10 EST Physicians and investigators from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai will give more than 30 presentations at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions Nov. 16-18 in Chicago. Full Article
expe Looking for medical experts to - Yasemin Nicola Sakay, Medical News Today / Healthline Media By www.newswise.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 19:00:00 EST Looking for medical experts to comment on the findings of the following embargoed study: Vitamin D Supplements May Lower Blood Pressure in Older People with Obesity Full Article
expe Appealing to Voters Through Podcasts, Expert Explains Advantages By www.newswise.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 09:10:46 EST Virginia Tech communication professor Megan Duncan discusses why United States presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris focused on podcasts in their voter outreach, and what benefits such media bring. Full Article
expe Expert Available: Potential International Trade Changes Under New Trump Administration By www.newswise.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 11:45:22 EST University of Georgia School of Law Assistant Professor of Law & Faculty Co-Director of the Dean Rusk International Law Center Desiree LeClercq, who specializes in international labor law and worked in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative during the previous Trump administration, as well as in the International Labor Organization and at the National Labor Relations Board, is available for further commentary at desireelc@uga.edu. Full Article
expe Expert Available: Beyonce leads Grammy nominations with 11 nods By www.newswise.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 12:00:34 EST Beyonce received 11 Grammy Award nominations, notching more citations than any other artist this year, "Cowboy Carter." ... Full Article
expe Expert Available: GOP Sets Sights on Legislative Agenda for Trump's First 100 Days By www.newswise.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 12:00:36 EST House Republicans are preparing a legislative agenda for Trump's first 100 days in office. ... Full Article
expe American University School of Communication Student Gabe Castro-Root is Selected for Exclusive Antarctic Expedition By www.newswise.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 12:20:25 EST American University's School of Communication (SOC) announced today that seasoned student journalist Gabe Castro-Root was selected to join an expedition to Antarctica where he will be reporting on the expedition. Full Article
expe MSU Expert: How President-Elect Trump Could Impact Education By www.newswise.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 16:10:22 EST Education is only becoming a bigger issue for both political parties. Questions and discussions surrounding the role of parents and their children's education as well as funding and the use of school vouchers remain top of mind as we prepare for a new administration. President-elect Donald Trump could make significant changes to the U.S. Department of Education, as questions loom about the future of the department under Trump. Josh Cowen is a professor of education policy in Michigan State University's College of Education. He has worked across the country on policy issues related to school choice, teacher quality and education reform. Cowen is the author of the new book The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers (Harvard Education Press). Here, he answers questions on what changes could come to education and what vouchers could mean for the U.S. Full Article
expe Smidt Heart Institute Experts Will Give Key Presentations at AHA Scientific Sessions 2024 By www.newswise.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:40:10 EST Physicians and investigators from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai will give more than 30 presentations at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions Nov. 16-18 in Chicago. Full Article
expe MSU Expert: How President-Elect Trump Could Impact Education By www.newswise.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 16:10:22 EST Education is only becoming a bigger issue for both political parties. Questions and discussions surrounding the role of parents and their children's education as well as funding and the use of school vouchers remain top of mind as we prepare for a new administration. President-elect Donald Trump could make significant changes to the U.S. Department of Education, as questions loom about the future of the department under Trump. Josh Cowen is a professor of education policy in Michigan State University's College of Education. He has worked across the country on policy issues related to school choice, teacher quality and education reform. Cowen is the author of the new book The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers (Harvard Education Press). Here, he answers questions on what changes could come to education and what vouchers could mean for the U.S. Full Article
expe Looking for medical experts to - Yasemin Nicola Sakay, Medical News Today / Healthline Media By www.newswise.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 19:00:00 EST Looking for medical experts to comment on the findings of the following embargoed study: Vitamin D Supplements May Lower Blood Pressure in Older People with Obesity Full Article
expe US Experts: Uranium Enrichment Facility Images Released by N. Korea Differs from that of 2010 By world.kbs.co.kr Published On :: Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:55:20 +0900 [Science] : Two U.S. experts who inspected North Korea’s uranium enrichment facility at the Yongbyon nuclear complex in 2010 have analyzed recent images of a similar facility in the North and pointed out differences. Stanford University professor emeritus Siegfried Hecker and Robert Carlin, a scholar at the ...[more...] Full Article Science
expe What's the Most Expensive State to Live In? By money.howstuffworks.com Published On :: Thu, 05 Sep 2024 10:00:04 -0400 When you're choosing a place to live, the cost of living matters — a lot. While some states offer an affordable lifestyle, others place serious pressure on people's wallets year in and year out. So, which is the most expensive state to live in? And which other states should you avoid if you're worried about your budget? Full Article
expe Why Is Gas So Expensive at Certain Times of Year? By auto.howstuffworks.com Published On :: Thu, 07 Mar 2024 11:13:56 -0500 Unfortunately for drivers, we often see the highest gas prices during the summer, starting around Memorial Day. In May 2022, U.S. consumers paid an average of $1.50 per gallon more than they were at the same time in 2021, according to AAA. Full Article
expe BGS completes first mapping expedition to Ascension Island - British Geological Survey By news.google.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT BGS completes first mapping expedition to Ascension Island British Geological Survey Full Article
expe Laboratory life: my work experience week at BGS - British Geological Survey By news.google.com Published On :: Tue, 20 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT Laboratory life: my work experience week at BGS British Geological Survey Full Article
expe Electromagnetic geophysics in Japan: a conference experience - British Geological Survey By news.google.com Published On :: Wed, 23 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT Electromagnetic geophysics in Japan: a conference experience British Geological Survey Full Article
expe Preparing research samples for safe arrival at centers and facilities: recipes for successful experiments By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-07-11 Preparation of biomacromolecules for structural biology studies is a complex and time-consuming process. The goal is to produce a highly concentrated, highly pure product that is often shipped to large facilities with tools to prepare the samples for crystallization trials or for measurements at synchrotrons and cryoEM centers. The aim of this article is to provide guidance and to discuss general considerations for shipping biomacromolecular samples. Details are also provided about shipping samples for specific experiment types, including solution- and cryogenic-based techniques. These guidelines are provided with the hope that the time and energy invested in sample preparation is not lost due to shipping logistics. Full Article text
expe A method with ultra-high angular resolution for X-ray diffraction experiments By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-01-01 In X-ray diffraction measurements, the angular resolution has a detection limit due to the receiving size of the detector. In many cases this detection limit is too large and must be breached to obtain the desired information. A novel method is proposed here by making the detector simultaneously measuring and moving. Using the deconvolution algorithm to remove the convolution effect, the pixel size limitation is finally broken. The algorithm used is not a common one, and suppresses signals at high frequencies, ensuring the reliability of the peak shape after restoration. The feasibility of this method is verified by successfully measuring the crystal truncation rod signal of SrTiO3 single crystal, and the resolution is nearly ten times higher than that of a single pixel. Moreover, this method greatly reduces the noise and improves the signal-to-noise ratio. Full Article text
expe xrdPlanner: exploring area detector geometries for powder diffraction and total scattering experiments By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-02-02 xrdPlanner is a software package designed to aid in the planning and preparation of powder X-ray diffraction and total scattering beam times at synchrotron facilities. Many modern beamlines provide a flexible experimental setup and may have several different detectors available. In combination with a range of available X-ray energies, it often makes it difficult for the user to explore the available parameter space relevant for a given experiment prior to the scheduled beam time. xrdPlanner was developed to provide a fast and straightforward tool that allows users to visualize the accessible part of reciprocal space of their experiment at a given combination of photon energy and detector geometry. To plan and communicate the necessary geometry not only saves time but also helps the beamline staff to prepare and accommodate for an experiment. The program is tailored toward powder X-ray diffraction and total scattering experiments but may also be useful for other experiments that rely on an area detector and for which detector placement and achievable momentum-transfer range are important experimental parameters. Full Article text
expe Determination of optimal experimental conditions for accurate 3D reconstruction of the magnetization vector via XMCD-PEEM By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-02-19 This work presents a detailed analysis of the performance of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism photoemission electron microscopy (XMCD-PEEM) as a tool for vector reconstruction of magnetization. For this, 360° domain wall ring structures which form in a synthetic antiferromagnet are chosen as the model to conduct the quantitative analysis. An assessment is made of how the quality of the results is affected depending on the number of projections that are involved in the reconstruction process, as well as their angular distribution. For this a self-consistent error metric is developed which allows an estimation of the optimum azimuthal rotation angular range and number of projections. This work thus proposes XMCD-PEEM as a powerful tool for vector imaging of complex 3D magnetic structures. Full Article text
expe Efficient end-to-end simulation of time-dependent coherent X-ray scattering experiments By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-03-22 Physical optics simulations for beamlines and experiments allow users to test experiment feasibility and optimize beamline settings ahead of beam time in order to optimize valuable beam time at synchrotron light sources like NSLS-II. Further, such simulations also help to develop and test experimental data processing methods and software in advance. The Synchrotron Radiation Workshop (SRW) software package supports such complex simulations. We demonstrate how recent developments in SRW significantly improve the efficiency of physical optics simulations, such as end-to-end simulations of time-dependent X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy experiments with partially coherent undulator radiation (UR). The molecular dynamics simulation code LAMMPS was chosen to model the sample: a solution of silica nanoparticles in water at room temperature. Real-space distributions of nanoparticles produced by LAMMPS were imported into SRW and used to simulate scattering patterns of partially coherent hard X-ray UR from such a sample at the detector. The partially coherent UR illuminating the sample can be represented by a set of orthogonal coherent modes obtained by simulation of emission and propagation of this radiation through the coherent hard X-ray (CHX) scattering beamline followed by a coherent-mode decomposition. GPU acceleration is added for several key functions of SRW used in propagation from sample to detector, further improving the speed of the calculations. The accuracy of this simulation is benchmarked by comparison with experimental data. Full Article text
expe A new experimental setup for combined fast differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-04-24 Synchrotron-radiation-based techniques are a powerful tool for the investigation of materials. In particular, the availability of highly brilliant sources has opened the possibility to develop techniques sensitive to dynamics at the atomic scale such as X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS). XPCS is particularly relevant in the study of glasses, which have been often investigated at the macroscopic scale by, for example, differential scanning calorimetry. Here, we show how to adapt a Flash calorimeter to combine XPCS and calorimetric scans. This setup paves the way to novel experiments requiring dynamical and thermodynamic information, ranging from the study of the crystallization kinetics to the study of the glass transition in systems that can be vitrified thanks to the high cooling rates reachable with an ultrafast calorimeter. Full Article text
expe A distributed data processing scheme based on Hadoop for synchrotron radiation experiments By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-04-24 With the development of synchrotron radiation sources and high-frame-rate detectors, the amount of experimental data collected at synchrotron radiation beamlines has increased exponentially. As a result, data processing for synchrotron radiation experiments has entered the era of big data. It is becoming increasingly important for beamlines to have the capability to process large-scale data in parallel to keep up with the rapid growth of data. Currently, there is no set of data processing solutions based on the big data technology framework for beamlines. Apache Hadoop is a widely used distributed system architecture for solving the problem of massive data storage and computation. This paper presents a set of distributed data processing schemes for beamlines with experimental data using Hadoop. The Hadoop Distributed File System is utilized as the distributed file storage system, and Hadoop YARN serves as the resource scheduler for the distributed computing cluster. A distributed data processing pipeline that can carry out massively parallel computation is designed and developed using Hadoop Spark. The entire data processing platform adopts a distributed microservice architecture, which makes the system easy to expand, reduces module coupling and improves reliability. Full Article text
expe First X-ray spectral ptychography and resonant ptychographic computed tomography experiments at the SWING beamline from Synchrotron SOLEIL By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-05-21 X-ray ptychography and ptychographic computed tomography have seen a rapid rise since the advent of fourth-generation synchrotrons with a high degree of coherent radiation. In addition to quantitative multiscale structural analysis, ptychography with spectral capabilities has been developed, allowing for spatial-localized multiscale structural and spectral information of samples. The SWING beamline of Synchrotron SOLEIL has recently developed a nanoprobe setup where the endstation's first spectral and resonant ptychographic measurements have been successfully conducted. A metallic nickel wire sample was measured using 2D spectral ptychography in XANES mode and resonant ptychographic tomography. From the 2D spectral ptychography measurements, the spectra of the components of the sample's complex-valued refractive index, δ and β, were extracted, integrated along the sample thickness. By performing resonance ptychographic tomography at two photon energies, 3D maps of the refractive index decrement, δ, were obtained at the Ni K-edge energy and another energy above the edge. These maps allowed the detection of impurities in the Ni wire. The significance of accounting for the atomic scattering factor is demonstrated in the calculation of electron density near a resonance through the use of the δ values. These results indicate that at the SWING beamline it is possible to conduct state-of-the-art spectral and resonant ptychography experiments using the nanoprobe setup. Full Article text
expe Investigation of fast and efficient lossless compression algorithms for macromolecular crystallography experiments By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-06-05 Structural biology experiments benefit significantly from state-of-the-art synchrotron data collection. One can acquire macromolecular crystallography (MX) diffraction data on large-area photon-counting pixel-array detectors at framing rates exceeding 1000 frames per second, using 200 Gbps network connectivity, or higher when available. In extreme cases this represents a raw data throughput of about 25 GB s−1, which is nearly impossible to deliver at reasonable cost without compression. Our field has used lossless compression for decades to make such data collection manageable. Many MX beamlines are now fitted with DECTRIS Eiger detectors, all of which are delivered with optimized compression algorithms by default, and they perform well with current framing rates and typical diffraction data. However, better lossless compression algorithms have been developed and are now available to the research community. Here one of the latest and most promising lossless compression algorithms is investigated on a variety of diffraction data like those routinely acquired at state-of-the-art MX beamlines. Full Article text
expe Signal-to-noise and spatial resolution in in-line imaging. 1. Basic theory, numerical simulations and planar experimental images By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-06-06 Signal-to-noise ratio and spatial resolution are quantitatively analysed in the context of in-line (propagation based) X-ray phase-contrast imaging. It is known that free-space propagation of a coherent X-ray beam from the imaged object to the detector plane, followed by phase retrieval in accordance with Paganin's method, can increase the signal-to-noise in the resultant images without deteriorating the spatial resolution. This results in violation of the noise-resolution uncertainty principle and demonstrates `unreasonable' effectiveness of the method. On the other hand, when the process of free-space propagation is performed in software, using the detected intensity distribution in the object plane, it cannot reproduce the same effectiveness, due to the amplification of photon shot noise. Here, it is shown that the performance of Paganin's method is determined by just two dimensionless parameters: the Fresnel number and the ratio of the real decrement to the imaginary part of the refractive index of the imaged object. The relevant theoretical analysis is performed first, followed by computer simulations and then by a brief test using experimental images collected at a synchrotron beamline. More extensive experimental tests will be presented in the second part of this paper. Full Article text
expe GIWAXS experimental methods at the NFPS-BL17B beamline at Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-06-25 The BL17B beamline at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility was first designed as a versatile high-throughput protein crystallography beamline and one of five beamlines affiliated to the National Facility for Protein Science in Shanghai. It was officially opened to users in July 2015. As a bending magnet beamline, BL17B has the advantages of high photon flux, brightness, energy resolution and continuous adjustable energy between 5 and 23 keV. The experimental station excels in crystal screening and structure determination, providing cost-effective routine experimental services to numerous users. Given the interdisciplinary and green energy research demands, BL17B beamline has undergone optimization, expanded its range of experimental methods and enhanced sample environments for a more user-friendly testing mode. These methods include single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder crystal X-ray diffraction, wide-angle X-ray scattering, grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS), and fully scattered atom pair distribution function analysis, covering structure detection from crystalline to amorphous states. This paper primarily presents the performance of the BL17B beamline and the application of the GIWAXS methodology at the beamline in the field of perovskite materials. Full Article text
expe Development and performance simulations of a soft X-ray and XUV split-and-delay unit at beamlines FL23/24 at FLASH2 for time-resolved two-color pump–probe experiments By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-08-05 The split-and-delay unit (SDU) at FLASH2 will be upgraded to enable the simultaneous operation of two temporally, spatially and spectrally separated probe beams when the free-electron laser undulators are operated in a two-color scheme. By means of suitable thin filters and an optical grating beam path a wide range of combinations of photon energies in the spectral range from 150 eV to 780 eV can be chosen. In this paper, simulations of the spectral transmission and performance parameters of the filter technique are discussed, along with a monochromator with dispersion compensation presently under construction. Full Article text
expe Data collection is your last experiment By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-06-14 Full Article text
expe TAAM refinement on high-resolution experimental and simulated 3D ED/MicroED data for organic molecules By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-06-27 3D electron diffraction (3D ED), or microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED), has become an alternative technique for determining the high-resolution crystal structures of compounds from sub-micron-sized crystals. Here, we considered l-alanine, α-glycine and urea, which are known to form good-quality crystals, and collected high-resolution 3D ED data on our in-house TEM instrument. In this study, we present a comparison of independent atom model (IAM) and transferable aspherical atom model (TAAM) kinematical refinement against experimental and simulated data. TAAM refinement on both experimental and simulated data clearly improves the model fitting statistics (R factors and residual electrostatic potential) compared to IAM refinement. This shows that TAAM better represents the experimental electrostatic potential of organic crystals than IAM. Furthermore, we compared the geometrical parameters and atomic displacement parameters (ADPs) resulting from the experimental refinements with the simulated refinements, with the periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations and with published X-ray and neutron crystal structures. The TAAM refinements on the 3D ED data did not improve the accuracy of the bond lengths between the non-H atoms. The experimental 3D ED data provided more accurate H-atom positions than the IAM refinements on the X-ray diffraction data. The IAM refinements against 3D ED data had a tendency to lead to slightly longer X—H bond lengths than TAAM, but the difference was statistically insignificant. Atomic displacement parameters were too large by tens of percent for l-alanine and α-glycine. Most probably, other unmodelled effects were causing this behaviour, such as radiation damage or dynamical scattering. Full Article text
expe Crystal structures of two unexpected products of vicinal diamines left to crystallize in acetone By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-08-23 Herein we report the crystal structures of two benzodiazepines obtained by reacting N,N'-(4,5-diamino-1,2-phenylene)bis(4-methylbenzenesulfonamide) (1) or 4,5-(4-methylbenzenesulfonamido)benzene-1,2-diaminium dichloride (1·2HCl) with acetone, giving 2,2,4-trimethyl-8,9-bis(4-methylbenzenesulfonamido)-2,3-dihydro-5H-1,5-benzodiazepine, C26H30N4O4S2 (2), and 2,2,4-trimethyl-8,9-bis(4-methylbenzenesulfonamido)-2,3-dihydro-5H-1,5-benzodiazepin-1-ium chloride 0.3-hydrate, C26H31N4O4S2+·Cl−·0.3H2O (3). Compounds 2 and 3 were first obtained in attempts to recrystallize 1 and 1·2HCl using acetone as solvent. This solvent reacted with the vicinal diamines present in the molecular structures, forming a 5H-1,5-benzodiazepine ring. In the crystal structure of 2, the seven-membered ring of benzodiazepine adopts a boat-like conformation, while upon protonation, observed in the crystal structure of 3, it adopts an envelope-like conformation. In both crystalline compounds, the tosylamide N atoms are not in resonance with the arene ring, mainly due to hydrogen bonds and steric hindrance caused by the large vicinal groups in the aromatic ring. At a supramolecular level, the crystal structure is maintained by a combination of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. In 2, amine-to-tosyl N—H⋯O and amide-to-imine N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds can be observed. In contrast, in 3, the chloride counter-ion and water molecule result in most of the hydrogen bonds being of the amide-to-chloride and ammonium-to-chloride N—H⋯Cl types, while the amine interacts with the tosyl group, as seen in 2. In conclusion, we report the synthesis of 1, 1·2HCl and 2, as well as their chemical characterization. For 2, two synthetic methods are described, i.e. solvent-mediated crystallization and synthesis via a more efficient and cleaner route as a polycrystalline material. Salt 3 was only obtained as presented, with only a few crystals being formed. Full Article text
expe EMinsight: a tool to capture cryoEM microscope configuration and experimental outcomes for analysis and deposition By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-03-26 The widespread adoption of cryoEM technologies for structural biology has pushed the discipline to new frontiers. A significant worldwide effort has refined the single-particle analysis (SPA) workflow into a reasonably standardized procedure. Significant investments of development time have been made, particularly in sample preparation, microscope data-collection efficiency, pipeline analyses and data archiving. The widespread adoption of specific commercial microscopes, software for controlling them and best practices developed at facilities worldwide has also begun to establish a degree of standardization to data structures coming from the SPA workflow. There is opportunity to capitalize on this moment in the maturation of the field, to capture metadata from SPA experiments and correlate the metadata with experimental outcomes, which is presented here in a set of programs called EMinsight. This tool aims to prototype the framework and types of analyses that could lead to new insights into optimal microscope configurations as well as to define methods for metadata capture to assist with the archiving of cryoEM SPA data. It is also envisaged that this tool will be useful to microscope operators and facilities looking to rapidly generate reports on SPA data-collection and screening sessions. Full Article text
expe HEIDI: an experiment-management platform enabling high-throughput fragment and compound screening By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-04-12 The Swiss Light Source facilitates fragment-based drug-discovery campaigns for academic and industrial users through the Fast Fragment and Compound Screening (FFCS) software suite. This framework is further enriched by the option to utilize the Smart Digital User (SDU) software for automated data collection across the PXI, PXII and PXIII beamlines. In this work, the newly developed HEIDI webpage (https://heidi.psi.ch) is introduced: a platform crafted using state-of-the-art software architecture and web technologies for sample management of rotational data experiments. The HEIDI webpage features a data-review tab for enhanced result visualization and provides programmatic access through a representational state transfer application programming interface (REST API). The migration of the local FFCS MongoDB instance to the cloud is highlighted and detailed. This transition ensures secure, encrypted and consistently accessible data through a robust and reliable REST API tailored for the FFCS software suite. Collectively, these advancements not only significantly elevate the user experience, but also pave the way for future expansions and improvements in the capabilities of the system. Full Article text
expe CHiMP: deep-learning tools trained on protein crystallization micrographs to enable automation of experiments By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-10-01 A group of three deep-learning tools, referred to collectively as CHiMP (Crystal Hits in My Plate), were created for analysis of micrographs of protein crystallization experiments at the Diamond Light Source (DLS) synchrotron, UK. The first tool, a classification network, assigns images into categories relating to experimental outcomes. The other two tools are networks that perform both object detection and instance segmentation, resulting in masks of individual crystals in the first case and masks of crystallization droplets in addition to crystals in the second case, allowing the positions and sizes of these entities to be recorded. The creation of these tools used transfer learning, where weights from a pre-trained deep-learning network were used as a starting point and repurposed by further training on a relatively small set of data. Two of the tools are now integrated at the VMXi macromolecular crystallography beamline at DLS, where they have the potential to absolve the need for any user input, both for monitoring crystallization experiments and for triggering in situ data collections. The third is being integrated into the XChem fragment-based drug-discovery screening platform, also at DLS, to allow the automatic targeting of acoustic compound dispensing into crystallization droplets. Full Article text
expe The success rate of processed predicted models in molecular replacement: implications for experimental phasing in the AlphaFold era By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-10-03 The availability of highly accurate protein structure predictions from AlphaFold2 (AF2) and similar tools has hugely expanded the applicability of molecular replacement (MR) for crystal structure solution. Many structures can be solved routinely using raw models, structures processed to remove unreliable parts or models split into distinct structural units. There is therefore an open question around how many and which cases still require experimental phasing methods such as single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (SAD). Here, this question is addressed using a large set of PDB depositions that were solved by SAD. A large majority (87%) could be solved using unedited or minimally edited AF2 predictions. A further 18 (4%) yield straightforwardly to MR after splitting of the AF2 prediction using Slice'N'Dice, although different splitting methods succeeded on slightly different sets of cases. It is also found that further unique targets can be solved by alternative modelling approaches such as ESMFold (four cases), alternative MR approaches such as ARCIMBOLDO and AMPLE (two cases each), and multimeric model building with AlphaFold-Multimer or UniFold (three cases). Ultimately, only 12 cases, or 3% of the SAD-phased set, did not yield to any form of MR tested here, offering valuable hints as to the number and the characteristics of cases where experimental phasing remains essential for macromolecular structure solution. Full Article text
expe RCSB Protein Data Bank: supporting research and education worldwide through explorations of experimentally determined and computationally predicted atomic level 3D biostructures By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-04-10 The Protein Data Bank (PDB) was established as the first open-access digital data resource in biology and medicine in 1971 with seven X-ray crystal structures of proteins. Today, the PDB houses >210 000 experimentally determined, atomic level, 3D structures of proteins and nucleic acids as well as their complexes with one another and small molecules (e.g. approved drugs, enzyme cofactors). These data provide insights into fundamental biology, biomedicine, bioenergy and biotechnology. They proved particularly important for understanding the SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic. The US-funded Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank (RCSB PDB) and other members of the Worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB) partnership jointly manage the PDB archive and support >60 000 `data depositors' (structural biologists) around the world. wwPDB ensures the quality and integrity of the data in the ever-expanding PDB archive and supports global open access without limitations on data usage. The RCSB PDB research-focused web portal at https://www.rcsb.org/ (RCSB.org) supports millions of users worldwide, representing a broad range of expertise and interests. In addition to retrieving 3D structure data, PDB `data consumers' access comparative data and external annotations, such as information about disease-causing point mutations and genetic variations. RCSB.org also provides access to >1 000 000 computed structure models (CSMs) generated using artificial intelligence/machine-learning methods. To avoid doubt, the provenance and reliability of experimentally determined PDB structures and CSMs are identified. Related training materials are available to support users in their RCSB.org explorations. Full Article text
expe An unexpected tautomer: synthesis and crystal structure of N-[6-amino-4-(methylsulfanyl)-1,2-dihydro-1,3,5-triazin-2-ylidene]benzenesulfonamide By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-01-09 The title compound, C10H11N5O2S2, consists of an unexpected tautomer with a protonated nitrogen atom in the triazine ring and a formal exocyclic double bond C=N to the sulfonamide moiety. The ring angles at the unsubstituted nitrogen atoms are narrow, at 115.57 (12) and 115.19 (12)°, respectively, whereas the angle at the carbon atom between these N atoms is very wide, 127.97 (13)°. The interplanar angle between the two rings is 79.56 (5)°. The molecules are linked by three classical hydrogen bonds, forming a ribbon structure. There are also unusual linkages involving three short contacts (< 3 Å) from a sulfonamide oxygen atom to the C—NH—C part of a triazine ring. Full Article text
expe Synthesis, crystal structure and anticancer activity of the complex chlorido(η2-ethylene)(quinolin-8-olato-κ2N,O)platinum(II) by experimental and theoretical methods By journals.iucr.org Published On :: 2024-04-30 The complex [Pt(C9H6NO)Cl(C2H4)], (I), was synthesized and structurally characterized by ESI mass spectrometry, IR, NMR spectroscopy, DFT calculations and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the deprotonated 8-hydroxyquinoline (C9H6NO) coordinates with the PtII atom via the N and O atoms while the ethylene coordinates in the η2 manner and in the trans position compared to the coordinating N atom. The crystal packing is characterized by C—H⋯O, C—H⋯π, Cl⋯π and Pt⋯π interactions. Complex (I) showed high selective activity against Lu-1 and Hep-G2 cell lines with IC50 values of 0.8 and 0.4 µM, respectively, 54 and 33-fold more active than cisplatin. In particular, complex (I) is about 10 times less toxic to normal cells (HEK-293) than cancer cells Lu-1 and Hep-G2. Furthermore, the reaction of complex (I) with guanine at the N7 position was proposed and investigated using the DFT method. The results indicated that replacement of the ethylene ligand with guanine is thermodynamically more favorable than the Cl ligand and that the reaction occurs via two consecutive steps, namely the replacement of ethylene with H2O and the water with the guanine molecule. Full Article text