| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Abelev, Betty, et al.
(författare)
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Measurement of prompt J/psi and beauty hadron production cross sections at mid-rapidity in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of High Energy Physics. - 1029-8479. ; :11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The ALICE experiment at the LHC has studied J/psi production at mid-rapidity in pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV through its electron pair decay on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity L-int = 5.6 nb(-1). The fraction of J/psi from the decay of long-lived beauty hadrons was determined for J/psi candidates with transverse momentum p(t) > 1,3 GeV/c and rapidity vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.9. The cross section for prompt J/psi mesons, i.e. directly produced J/psi and prompt decays of heavier charmonium states such as the psi(2S) and chi(c) resonances, is sigma(prompt J/psi) (p(t) > 1.3 GeV/c, vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.9) = 8.3 +/- 0.8(stat.) +/- 1.1 (syst.)(-1.4)(+1.5) (syst. pol.) mu b. The cross section for the production of b-hadrons decaying to J/psi with p(t) > 1.3 GeV/c and vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.9 is a sigma(J/psi <- hB) (p(t) > 1.3 GeV/c, vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.9) = 1.46 +/- 0.38 (stat.)(-0.32)(+0.26) (syst.) mu b. The results are compared to QCD model predictions. The shape of the p(t) and y distributions of b-quarks predicted by perturbative QCD model calculations are used to extrapolate the measured cross section to derive the b (b) over bar pair total cross section and d sigma/dy at mid-rapidity.
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| 3. |
- Abrevaya, Ximena C., et al.
(författare)
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Protective Effects of Halite to Vacuum and Vacuum-Ultraviolet Radiation : A Potential Scenario during a Young Sun Superflare
- 2023
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Ingår i: Astrobiology. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 1531-1074 .- 1557-8070. ; 23:3, s. 245-268
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Halite (NaCl mineral) has exhibited the potential to preserve microorganisms for millions of years on Earth. This mineral was also identified on Mars and in meteorites. In this study, we investigated the potential of halite crystals to protect microbial life-forms on the surface of an airless body (e.g., meteorite), for instance, during a lithopanspermia process (interplanetary travel step) in the early Solar System. To investigate the effect of the radiation of the young Sun on microorganisms, we performed extensive simulation experiments by employing a synchrotron facility. We focused on two exposure conditions: vacuum (low Earth orbit, 10-4 Pa) and vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) radiation (range 57.6-124 nm, flux 7.14 W/m2), with the latter representing an extreme scenario with high VUV fluxes comparable to the amount of radiation of a stellar superflare from the young Sun. The stellar VUV parameters were estimated by using the very well-studied solar analog of the young Sun, κ1 Cet. To evaluate the protective effects of halite, we entrapped a halophilic archaeon (Haloferax volcanii) and a non-halophilic bacterium (Deinococcus radiodurans) in laboratory-grown halite. Control groups were cells entrapped in salt crystals (mixtures of different salts and NaCl) and non-trapped (naked) cells, respectively. All groups were exposed either to vacuum alone or to vacuum plus VUV. Our results demonstrate that halite can serve as protection against vacuum and VUV radiation, regardless of the type of microorganism. In addition, we found that the protection is higher than provided by crystals obtained from mixtures of salts. This extends the protective effects of halite documented in previous studies and reinforces the possibility to consider the crystals of this mineral as potential preservation structures in airless bodies or as vehicles for the interplanetary transfer of microorganisms.
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| 4. |
- Brilhante, Raimunda Sâmia Nogueira, et al.
(författare)
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Antifungal Activity of Chitosan against Histoplasma capsulatum in Planktonic and Biofilm Forms : A Therapeutic Strategy in the Future?
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Fungi. - : MDPI AG. - 2309-608X. ; 9:12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Histoplasmosis is a respiratory disease caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, a dimorphic fungus, with high mortality and morbidity rates, especially in immunocompromised patients. Considering the small existing therapeutic arsenal, new treatment approaches are still required. Chitosan, a linear polysaccharide obtained from partial chitin deacetylation, has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-toxicity properties. Chitosan with different deacetylation degrees and molecular weights has been explored as a potential agent against fungal pathogens. In this study, the chitosan antifungal activity against H. capsulatum was evaluated using the broth microdilution assay, obtaining minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranging from 32 to 128 µg/mL in the filamentous phase and 8 to 64 µg/mL in the yeast phase. Chitosan combined with classical antifungal drugs showed a synergic effect, reducing chitosan’s MICs by 32 times, demonstrating that there were no antagonistic interactions relating to any of the strains tested. A synergism between chitosan and amphotericin B or itraconazole was detected in the yeast-like form for all strains tested. For H. capsulatum biofilms, chitosan reduced biomass and metabolic activity by about 40% at 512 µg/mL. In conclusion, studying chitosan as a therapeutic strategy against Histoplasma capsulatum is promising, mainly considering its numerous possible applications, including its combination with other compounds.
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| 5. |
- de Oliveira, Andressa Souza, et al.
(författare)
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Antifungal activity of sustainable histone deacetylase inhibitors against planktonic cells and biofilms of Candida spp. and Cryptococcusneoformans
- 2023
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Ingår i: Medical Mycology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1369-3786 .- 1460-2709. ; 61:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The limited therapeutic options for fungal infections and the increased incidence of fungal strains resistant to antifungal drugs, especially Candida spp., require the development of new antifungal drugs and strategies. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), like vorinostat, have been studied in cancer treatment and have antifungal effects, acting alone or synergistically with classical antifungals. Here we investigated the antifungal activity of two novel sustainable HDACi (LDT compounds) based on vorinostat structure. Molecular docking simulation studies reveal that LDT compounds can bind to Class-I HDACs of Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, and Cryptococcus neoformans, which showed similar binding mode to vorinostat. LDT compounds showed moderate activity when tested alone against fungi but act synergistically with antifungal azoles against Candida spp. They reduced biofilm formation by more than 50% in C. albicans (4 µg/mL), with the main action in fungal filamentation. Cytotoxicity of the LDT compounds against RAW264.7 cells was evaluated and LDT536 demonstrated cytotoxicity only at the concentration of 200 µmol/L, while LDT537 showed IC50 values of 29.12 µmol/L. Our data indicated that these sustainable and inexpensive HDACi have potential antifungal and antibiofilm activities, with better results than vorinostat, although further studies are necessary to better understand the mechanism against fungal cells.
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| 6. |
- Fernandes, Juliana Folloni, et al.
(författare)
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Transplantation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells for Primary Immunodeficiencies in Brazil: Challenges in Treating Rare Diseases in Developing Countries.
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of clinical immunology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-2592 .- 0271-9142. ; 38:8, s. 917-926
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The results of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) for primary immunodeficiency diseases (PID) have been improving over time. Unfortunately, developing countries do not experience the same results. This first report of Brazilian experience of HSCT for PID describes the development and results in the field. We included data from transplants in 221 patients, performed at 11 centers which participated in the Brazilian collaborative group, from July 1990 to December 2015. The majority of transplants were concentrated in one center (n=123). The median age at HSCT was 22months, and the most common diseases were severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) (n=67) and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) (n=67). Only 15 patients received unconditioned transplants. Cumulative incidence of GVHD grades II to IV was 23%, and GVHD grades III to IV was 10%. The 5-year overall survival was 71.6%. WAS patients had better survival compared to other diseases. Most deaths (n=53) occurred in the first year after transplantation mainly due to infection (55%) and GVHD (13%). Although transplant for PID patients in Brazil has evolved since its beginning, we still face some challenges like delayed diagnosis and referral, severe infections before transplant, a limited number of transplant centers with expertise, and resources for more advanced techniques. Measures like newborn screening for SCID may hasten the diagnosis and ameliorate patients' conditions at the moment of transplant.
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| 7. |
- Ferreira, Letícia Tiburcio, et al.
(författare)
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Computational Chemogenomics Drug Repositioning Strategy Enables the Discovery of Epirubicin as a New Repurposed Hit for Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax.
- 2020
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Ingår i: Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. - 1098-6596. ; 64:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Widespread resistance against antimalarial drugs thwarts current efforts for controlling the disease and urges the discovery of new effective treatments. Drug repositioning is increasingly becoming an attractive strategy since it can reduce costs, risks, and time-to-market. Herein, we have used this strategy to identify novel antimalarial hits. We used a comparative in silico chemogenomics approach to select Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax proteins as potential drug targets and analyzed them using a computer-assisted drug repositioning pipeline to identify approved drugs with potential antimalarial activity. Among the seven drugs identified as promising antimalarial candidates, the anthracycline epirubicin was selected for further experimental validation. Epirubicin was shown to be potent in vitro against sensitive and multidrug-resistant P. falciparum strains and P. vivax field isolates in the nanomolar range, as well as being effective against an in vivo murine model of Plasmodium yoelii Transmission-blocking activity was observed for epirubicin in vitro and in vivo Finally, using yeast-based haploinsufficiency chemical genomic profiling, we aimed to get insights into the mechanism of action of epirubicin. Beyond the target predicted in silico (a DNA gyrase in the apicoplast), functional assays suggested a GlcNac-1-P-transferase (GPT) enzyme as a potential target. Docking calculations predicted the binding mode of epirubicin with DNA gyrase and GPT proteins. Epirubicin is originally an antitumoral agent and presents associated toxicity. However, its antiplasmodial activity against not only P. falciparum but also P. vivax in different stages of the parasite life cycle supports the use of this drug as a scaffold for hit-to-lead optimization in malaria drug discovery.
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| 8. |
- Kattge, Jens, et al.
(författare)
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TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access
- 2020
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Ingår i: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 26:1, s. 119-188
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives.
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| 9. |
- Kehoe, Laura, et al.
(författare)
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Make EU trade with Brazil sustainable
- 2019
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 364:6438, s. 341-
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 10. |
- Pereira, Fabio M., et al.
(författare)
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Hybrid Microfluidic Platform for Multifactorial Analysis Based on Electrical Impedance, Refractometry, Optical Absorption and Fluorescence
- 2016
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Ingår i: Micromachines. - : MDPI AG. - 2072-666X. ; 7:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper describes the development of a novel microfluidic platform for multifactorial analysis integrating four label-free detection methods: electrical impedance, refractometry, optical absorption and fluorescence. We present the rationale for the design and the details of the microfabrication of this multifactorial hybrid microfluidic chip. The structure of the platform consists of a three-dimensionally patterned polydimethylsiloxane top part attached to a bottom SU-8 epoxy-based negative photoresist part, where microelectrodes and optical fibers are incorporated to enable impedance and optical analysis. As a proof of concept, the chip functions have been tested and explored, enabling a diversity of applications: (i) impedance-based identification of the size of micro beads, as well as counting and distinguishing of erythrocytes by their volume or membrane properties; (ii) simultaneous determination of the refractive index and optical absorption properties of solutions; and (iii) fluorescence-based bead counting.
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