789 research outputs found
Eco-friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles from peel and juice C. limon and their antiviral efficacy against HSV-1 and SARS-CoV-2
No full textThe growing threat of viral infections requires innovative therapeutic approaches to safeguard human health. Nanomaterials emerge as a promising solution to overcome the limitations associated with conventional therapies. The eco-friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) currently represents a method that guarantees antimicrobial efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness. This study explores the use of AgNPs derived from the peel (Lp-AgNPs) and juice (Lj-AgNPs) Citrus limon “Ovale di Sorrento”, cultivars of the Campania region. The antiviral potential was tested against viruses belonging to the Coronaviridae and Herpesviridae. AgNPs were synthesized by reduction method using silver nitrate solution mixed with aqueous extract of C. limon peel and juice. The formation of Lp-AgNPs and Lj-AgNPs was assessed using a UV–Vis spectrophotometer. The size, ζ-potential, concentration, and morphology of AgNPs were evaluated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Cytotoxicity was evaluated in a concentration range between 500 and 7.8 μg/mL on VERO-76 and HaCaT cells, with the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium test bromide (MTT). Antiviral activity consisted of virus pre-treatment, co-treatment, cellular pre-treatment, and post-infection tests versus HSV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 at a multiplicity of infections (MOI) of 0.01. Plaque reduction assays and real-time PCR provided data on the antiviral potential of tested compounds. Lp-AgNPs and Lj-AgNPs exhibited spherical morphology with respective diameters of 60 and 92 nm with concentrations of 4.22 and 4.84 × 1010 particles/mL, respectively. The MTT data demonstrated minimal cytotoxicity, with 50 % cytotoxic concentrations (CC50) of Lp-AgNPs and Lj-AgNPs against VERO cells of 754.6 and 486.7 μg/mL. Similarly, CC50 values against HaCaT were 457.3 μg/mL for Lp-AgNPs and 339.6 μg/mL for Lj-AgNPs, respectively. In the virus pre-treatment assay, 90 % inhibitory concentrations of HSV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 were 8.54–135.04 μg/mL for Lp-AgNPs and 6.13–186.77 μg/mL for Lj-AgNPs, respectively. The molecular investigation confirmed the antiviral data, recording a reduction in the UL54 and UL27 genes for HSV-1 and in the Spike (S) gene for SARS-CoV-2, following AgNP exposure. The results of this study suggest that Lp-AgNPs and Lj-AgNPs derived from C. Limon could offer a valid ecological, natural, local and safe strategy against viral infections
Search for excited electrons and muons in √s=8 TeV proton–proton collisions with the ATLAS detector
No full textThe ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider is used to search for excited electrons and excited muons in the channel pp → ℓℓ* → ℓℓγ, assuming that excited leptons are produced via contact interactions. The analysis is based on 13 fb[superscript −1] of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. No evidence for excited leptons is found, and a limit is set at the 95% credibility level on the cross section times branching ratio as a function of the excited-lepton mass m[subscript ℓ*]. For m[subscript ℓ*] ≥ 0.8 TeV, the respective upper limits on σB(ℓ* → ℓγ) are 0.75 and 0.90 fb for the e* and μ* searches. Limits on σB are converted into lower bounds on the compositeness scale Λ. In the special case where Λ = m[subscript ℓ*], excited-electron and excited-muon masses below 2.2 TeV are excluded.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Brookhaven National Laborator
The corpus callosum in interhemispheric transmission and bilateral synchronization of paroxysmal activity
No full textRole of the corpus callosum in transmission of strychnine excitation from the cortex of one hemisphere to the other
No full textThe comparison of characteristics of mesons produced in central Mg-Mg interactions with the quark gluon string model predictions
No full textA detailed study of pion production in central Mg-Mg collisions at a
momentum of 4.3 GeV/c per incident nucleon was carried out with use of the setup
GIBS. The average kinematical characteristics of pions (multiplicity ,
momentum , transverse momentum , emission angle , rapidity )
and corresponding distributions have been obtained. The experimental results have
been compared with the predictions of the Quark Gluon String Model (QGSM) and
satisfactory agreement between the experimental data and the model has been
found. The QGSM reproduces also the dependence of average on .
The temperatures of mesons have been estimated in the rapidity
interval of 0.5Y2.1. A satisfactory fit for mesons has been
achieved by using a form involving two temperatures and . It is
found that the QGSM underestimates by .
The data have been analyzed using the transverse momentum technique. The
observed dependence of the on Y shows the
S-shape behaviour. The slope at midrapidity $F$ has been determined. The QGSM
reproduces the distribution satisfactorily, but underestimates the
parameter
Measurement of the inelastic proton–proton cross-section at √s=7 TeV with the ATLAS Detector
No full textA first measurement of the inelastic cross-section is presented for proton-proton collisions at a center of mass energy √ =7 TeV using the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. In a dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20 µb<sup>-1</sup>, events are selected by requiring hits on scintillation counters mounted in the forward region of the detector. An inelastic cross-section of 60.3 ± 2.1 mb is measured for ξ>5x10<sup>-6</sup>, where ξ=M<sup>2</sup><sub>X</sub>/s is calculated from the invariant mass, M<sub>X</sub>, of hadrons selected using the largest rapidity gap in the event. For diffractive events this corresponds to requiring at least one of the dissociation masses to be larger than 15.7 GeV
Persistent prevention of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy using calmangafodipir (PledOx<sup>®</sup>): a placebo-controlled randomised phase II study (PLIANT)
No full textPURPOSE: Oxaliplatin causes disabling acute and chronic peripheral neuropathy. We explored the preventive effects of calmangafodipir, mimicking the mitochondrial enzyme manganese superoxide dismutase, thereby protecting cells from oxidative stress, in a placebo-controlled, double-blinded randomised phase II study (ClinicalTrials.gov.NCT01619423) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).PATIENT AND METHODS: mCRC patients treated with modified FOLFOX-6 (folinic acid 200 mg/m(2), 5-fluorouracil bolus 400 mg/m(2), oxaliplatin 85 mg/m(2) and 5-fluorouracil 2400 mg/m(2) continuous infusion for 46 h) every fortnight for 8 cycles in first or second line were eligible. Calmangafodipir was given in a phase I dose-finding and in a phase II placebo-controlled study, as a 5-min infusion 10 min prior to oxaliplatin. Neurotoxicity was evaluated by the physician using the Oxaliplatin Sanofi Specific Scale and by the patient using the cold allodynia test and the Leonard scale.RESULTS: Eleven patients were included in phase I without any detectable toxicity to calmangafodipir. In the phase II study, 173 patients were randomised to placebo (n = 60), calmangafodipir 2 µmol/kg (n = 57) and calmangafodipir 5 µmol/kg (n = 45, initially 10 µmol/kg, n = 11). Calmangafodipir-treated patients (all three doses pooled) had less physician graded neurotoxicity (odds ratio (90% confidence interval one-sided upper level) 0.62(1.15), p = .16), significantly less problems with cold allodynia (mean 1.6 versus 2.3, p < .05) and significantly fewer sensory symptoms in the Leonard scale (cycle 1-8 mean 1.9 versus 3.0, p < .05 and during follow-up after 3 and 6 months, mean 3.5 versus 7.3, p < .01). Response rate, progression-free and overall survival did not differ among groups.CONCLUSIONS: Calmangafodipir at a dose of 5 µmol/kg appears to prevent the development of oxaliplatin-induced acute and delayed CIPN without apparent influence on tumour outcomes.</p
Search for single production of a vector-like quark via a heavy gluon in the 4b final state with the ATLAS detector in pp collisions at root s=8 TeV
No full textA search is performed for the process pp -> G* -> B-H(b) over bar/(B) over bar (H)b -> Hb (b) over bar -> b (b) over barb (b) over bar, predicted in composite Higgs scenarios, where G* is a heavy colour octet vector resonance and B-H a vector-like quark of charge -1/3. The data were obtained from pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 fb(-1), recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The largest background, multijet production, is estimated using a data-driven method. No significant excess of events with respect to Standard Model predictions is observed, and upper limits on the production cross section times branching ratio are set. Comparisons to the predictions from a specific benchmark model are made, resulting in lower mass limits in the two-dimensional mass plane of m(G*) vs. m(BH). (c) 2016 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
Development of the amorphous, high resistivity Ge:(O,N) films for radiation-hardened MIS device applications
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