De novo design of antimicrobial and antibiofilm peptides starting from desert truffle Tirmania pinoyi peptides

With the aim of discovering new routes in the research of antimicrobials, we focused on polypeptide- enriched extracts derived from edible desert truffle mushroom Tirmania pinoyi. The extracts showed an interesting activity with MIC=50 μg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442. Through mass spectrometry analysis (RP-HPLC/ nESI-MS/MS) the following eight novel peptides FDVVPKTAANFRAL, AVTVGASTLADERA, FLVGGASLKPEF, VARIFAVFNDTF, HLVDEPQNLLK, LGEYGFQNALLR, FAVNGGCAKET, SREDLHPKL were detected. To characterize them online websites were used: IAMPpred, DPBAAS, Cell-PPD, ToxinPred, HemoPI, PeptideCutter and HLP. The analysis indicated that some peptides showed negative or neutral charge, hydrophobic ratio between 42% and 67%, Boman Index < 2.25 kCal/mol. According to the “APD3: Antimicrobial Peptide Calculator and Predictor” tool of the Antimicrobial Peptide Database (APD) similarities (around 30-40%) with known antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) identified in amphibians were also detected. In contrast, the predicted antimicrobial, antifungal and antibiofilm activity was not significant. In order to improve biological and physico-chemical properties, the sequences of natural peptides were modified using APD3, by replacing some hydrophilic and negative charged amino acids with hydrophobic and positive ones. The derivative sequences (GWDVVPKTWWKFRAL, KWTWGASTLAKKRA, FLRGGWSLKPKF, KWRIFWVFNKTF, HLVKRWQNLLK, KGKYRFWNALLR, FARWGGCAKRT, SRKWLHPWL) showed net positive charge between +2 and +4, hydrophobic ratio between 42% and 48%, Boman Index < 2.25 kCal/mol and high stability. Moreover, the predicted antimicrobial, antifungal and antibiofilm activity was high, without toxic or hemolytic effects. In conclusion, bioinformatic analysis has demonstrated that novel peptides discovered in T. pinoyi may be considered new platforms for the design of novel antimicrobial and antibiofilm peptides to counteract multi-drug resistant pathogens

Protein fraction heterogeneity in donkey's milk analysed by proteomic methods

Donkey's milk is often well tolerate by patients affected by cow's milk protein allergy, probably thanks to its protein composition. This empiric evidence, confirmed by some clinical trials, needs to be better investigated. A preliminary survey on the protein fraction of donkey's milk was carried out: fifty-six individual milk samples have been collected and analysed by IEF and SDS-PAGE. Five different IEF patterns have been identified, showing a marked heterogeneity both in casein and whey protein fractions. A single IEF pattern showed an apparent reduced amount of casein fraction highlighted by SDS. Three of the five IEF patterns have been further investigated by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)

Acoustic Nature of the Boson Peak in Vitreous Silica

New temperature dependent inelastic x-ray (IXS) and Raman (RS) scattering data are compared to each other and with existing inelastic neutron scattering data in vitreous silica (v-SiO_2), in the 300 - 1775 K region. The IXS data show collective propagating excitations up to Q=3.5 nm^-1. The temperature behaviour of the excitations at Q=1.6 nm^-1 matches that of the boson peak found in INS and RS. This supports the acoustic origin of the excess of vibrational states giving rise to the boson peak in this glass.Comment: 10 pages and 4 figure

SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine Breakthrough Infections in Fully Vaccinated Healthcare Personnel: A Systematic Review

The number of people vaccinated against COVID-19 increases worldwide every day; however, it is important to study the risk of breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals at high risk of exposure such as healthcare personnel (HCP). A systematic literature review (SLR) applying the PRISMA declaration and the PECOS format using the following entry terms was used: “Health Personnel OR Healthcare Worker OR Healthcare Provider OR Healthcare Personnel AND breakthrough OR infection after vaccine*”. The research was carried out utilizing the following databases: SCOPUS, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Sciences. An overall very low incidence of post-vaccination breakthrough infections was found, ranging from 0.011 to 0.001 (per 100 individuals at risk). Our findings further support the published high effectiveness rates of mRNA vaccines in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections among fully vaccinated HCP. Additional studies are needed to define the duration of the vaccine-induced protection among HCP

Elastic scattering for the system 6Li + p at near barrier energies with MAGNEX

Elastic scattering measurements have been performed for the 6Li+p system in inverse kinematics at the energies of 16, 20, 25 and 29 MeV. The heavy ejectile was detected by the large acceptance MAGNEX spectrometer at the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS) in Catania, in the angular range between ∼20 and 120 in the laboratory system, giving us the possibility to span almost a full angular range in the center of mass system. Results will be presented and discussed for one of the energies.European Union 262010-ENSA

Breakup of 6Li + p at near-barrier energies and the effect on elastic scattering

Exclusive breakup measurements have been performed for the Li6+p system in inverse kinematics at Li6 incident energies of 25 and 29 MeV. The results are considered in the Continuum Discretized Coupled-Channels framework, together with elastic scattering data at 16, 20, 25, and 29 MeV, obtained simultaneously in the same experiment and reported previously. Good agreement between data and theory is observed, interpreted as evidence for strong coupling to the continuum. The direct and sequential (via the Li631+ resonance) breakup cross sections are found to be equally large at the higher incident energies but the dominant effect on the elastic scattering is due to coupling to the sequential breakup. This effect remains dominant even at the lowest energy of 16 MeV, despite the negligible cross section for excitation of the resonance at this low incident energy.European Union 262010-ENSA

Reexamination of Li 6 +p elastic scattering in inverse kinematics

Elastic-scattering measurements have been performed for the Li6+p system in inverse kinematics at the energies of 16, 20, 25, and 29 MeV. The heavy ejectile was detected by the large acceptance MAGNEX spectrometer at the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud in Catania, Italy. The results are considered in a Jeukenne-Lejeune-Mahaux and a continuum discretized coupled-channel calculation framework

The nature of the short wavelength excitations in vitreous silica: X-Rays Brillouin scattering study

The dynamical structure factor (S(Q,E)) of vitreous silica has been measured by Inelastic X-ray Scattering varying the exchanged wavevector (Q) at fixed exchanged energy (E) - an experimental procedure that, contrary to the usual one at constant Q, provides spectra with much better identified inelastic features. This allows the first direct evidence of Brillouin peaks in the S(Q,E) of SiO_2 at energies above the Boson Peak (BP) energy, a finding that excludes the possibility that the BP marks the transition from propagating to localised dynamics in glasses.Comment: 4 pages, 3 Postscript figures. To appear in Physical Review Letter

Tinnitus and equilibrium disorders in COVID-19 patients: preliminary results

Purpose: Tinnitus and equilibrium disorders such as dizziness and vertigo have been reported by patients with COVID-19; however, they have been rarely investigated. The aim of this study was to study the prevalence of subjective tinnitus and dizziness in a sample of COVID-19 patients using an online 10-item close-ended questionnaire. Methods: A multicentric study that included 15 Italian hospitals in different regions was conducted using an online 10-item close-ended questionnaire developed to identify the presence of tinnitus and balance disorders in patients with COVID-19 between May 5 and June 10, 2020. The questionnaire was administered to 185 patients in a period of > 30 – < 60 days after diagnosis of COVID-19; responses were recorded in an online Excel spreadsheet. The questionnaire was composed of three sections: (1) demographic information; (2) presence and characteristics of tinnitus and dizziness after COVID-19 diagnosis; (3) possible association with migraine. Results: Thirty-four patients (18.4%) reported equilibrium disorders after COVID-19 diagnosis. Of these, 32 patients reported dizziness (94.1%) and 2 (5.9%) reported acute vertigo attacks. Forty-three patients (23.2%) reported tinnitus; 14 (7.6%) reported both tinnitus and equilibrium disorders. Conclusion: This study suggests that the presence of subjective otoneurological symptoms such as tinnitus and balance disorders can affect COVID-19 patients; further studies are necessary to investigate the prevalence and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these subjective symptoms in COVID-19 patients